there was great sorrow among the Iewes and fasting and weeping and mourning and many lay in sackcloth and ashes but they all prayed vnto God and he deliuered them and saued them from their enemies Chap. 9.17 and turned the dayes of famine into the daies of feasting and ioy So let vs giue our selues vnto continuall prayer that the Lord may be entreated of vs at the last and so in his appointed time it may come to passe that whereas many of the chiefe cities and townes amongst vs haue beene a long time in great perplexitie by reason of this grieuous pestilence and contagious mortalititie and in all places of this realme besides whither tidings of their estate hath and doth weekely come they haue been in sorrow and great heauinesse and in weeping and mourning and fasting now there may be cause of reioysing and praysing God and these dayes of sorrow and fasting may bee turned into the dayes of great ioy and feasting That so we may as this people wish for themselues here reioyce when he shall fulfill all our petitions VVhich the Lord of his infinit mercie graunt for Iesus Christs sake Amen The sixteenth Sermon vpon the fifth verse That we may reioyce in thy saluation c. AS they bring this for a reason in their prayer to mooue the Lord to bestow vpon them this benefit so here they professe that if hee will vouchsafe so to doe they would reioyce indeed and bee glad and as they should haue cause From whence wee may learne how we ought to be affected with the common benefits of our time We ought to reioyce in the common benefits of our time as here they speake of publicke blessing namely victorie ouer their enemies and so of common peace and tranquilitie that should follow namely that we should take them from God as matter of great ioy And as when there is any common affliction and plague in the land of what kind soeuer wee should be affected with it and be sorrowfull for it and not haue that stoninesse and hardnesse of heart that is in too many whereby it should come to passe that wee should make light of such things and not be mooued with them as we ought So we should be touched with the consideration of the common benefits to reioice in them because we haue our part in them and the greater that those benefits be the more should we reioyce in them and the more should be our ioy for them or else we cannot be so thankefull vnto God for them as we ought VVee should not then be so carelesse that we should not marke the common benefits of our time nor so blockish and hard hearted that in marking of them we should not reioyce in them For we see that the seruants of God in their seuerall ages and times haue not onely greatly reioyced in the common benefits of the Church and Commonwealth wherein they haue had their part with the rest of their brethren but they haue openly professed it to the glorie of God and the good example of others As when they returned from the captiuitie of Babylon where they had beene long not onely in a strange countrey but vnder idolaters now when they come home and haue the freedome of their conscience in Gods seruice and that in their own countrey they were not onely filled with ioy but they speak of it among themselues to their mutuall comfort and as when they went out they wept and were touched with the common miserie of that time and put away all tokens of ioy from them Psal 137.2 For by the waters of Babylon they hanged their harpes vpon the willowes and said that they would not sing the Lords song in a strange land so in their returne they speake otherwise of themselues for as the benefit was so great and so vnlooked for of many Psal 126.1 That when the Lord brought againe the captiuitie of Sion they were like them that dreame so their ioy was so great that they say Then was our mouth filled with laughter and our tongue with ioy and they say The Lord hath done great things for vs whereof we reioyce The Lord hath vouchsafed vs and our forefathers the like mercie in deliuering vs long ago from the tyrannie of the Pope As that we are deliuered frō poperie and of his idolatrie and giuen vs this freedome of the gospell in our owne countrey we must so consider of it That as those holy men that wanted it so prayed for it that they might reioyce as this people doth here for another benefit so now we that haue it might reioyce in it indeed and not to be so sencelesse and void of feeling as many are not at all or very little to be mooued with so great cause of ioy The like may be said of all other common benefits whatsoeuer as when Salomon was appointed to be king in his father Dauids roome and this was done with the common consent of all the nobles and chiefe men of the realme it is said they gaue thankes vnto God and were exceedingly glad 1. Chron. 29.20 For Dauid said vnto them Now blesse the Lord your God and all the congregation blessed the Lord God of their fathers and bowed down their heads and worshipped the Lord and the king And they did eat and drinke before the Lord the same day with great ioy and they made Salomon the sonne of Dauid king the second time So this great benefit to haue one good prince to succeed another peaceably And then wee haue one good prince to succeed another was vnto them matters of great ioy In which respect we haue no lesse cause to reioyce than they that after the death of our late Soueraigne Queene Elizabeth of blessed memorie by whom we did enioy many great benefits who did restore religion and tooke order for the seruice seruants of the Lord as Dauid did we haue one in Gods great mercie to succeed that maintaineth the Gospell and that he is peaceably come to the Crowne as Salomon was then so that neither we are fallen into the hands of our enemies nor giuen vp vnto Popish idolatrie as both of them were greatly feared But as this benefit was greatly desired of many before and they thought that then they would reioice and otherwise they could not so we that enioy it must reioyce in it and so consider of the greatnesse of it that our hearts may be made glad with it and that wee may eat and drinke before the Lord and vse other of his benefits as in his presence with great ioy So is it said afterwards in the dayes of this Salomon when he had builded and made an end of the temple of the Lord and had with solemne prayers and sacrifices dedicated it vnto his seruice all the people of the land that came vp to Ierusalem to the dedication of that house when all things were finished The king sent away into their tents
God king of England Scotland Fraunce and Ireland defendor of the true auntient Catholicke and Apostolicke faith and in all causes as well Ecclesiasticall as Ciuill and ouer all persons within these his realmes and dominions next and immediatly vnder Christ Iesus supreme gouernour and iugde we are to pray for his life and for the life of the Queene the Prince and all their noble and worthy ofspring and for his maiesties person that God would saue him from his enemies as we see that he hath not wanted some in this short time of his raigne that we might still reioyce And we must be thus persuaded that his saluation shall be still our ioy as this people doth thus here thinke of Dauid their king Therefore as we desire the continuance of our ioy and comfort so let vs still pray for the preseruation of his most excellent maiestie the meanes and cause of it For that which is sayd of Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon is true of all good kings and namely of our soueraigne Lord King Iames most of all Dan. 4.9 What benefits we inioy vnder his Maiesties gouernment He was like a goodly great tree whose bowes were faire and the fruit thereof much and it was meat for all it made a shadow vnder it for the beasts of the field and the foules of the heauen dwelt in the branches thereof and all flesh fed of it So doe we vnder his gratious gouernment inioy defence and protection from all enemies iniuries and wrongs and it is as a shadow to vs against the scorching heat of the sunne and by his meanes we peaceably inioy the vse of all that we haue both for meat and drinke and all things needfull for the preseruation of this life and so we as it were feed of his fruit Therefore we had need still to pray for his preseruation not onely that all these great benefits might be continued but that we might still reioyce in them as now we doe and let vs be persuaded that as long as God shall preserue him out of the handes of his enemies and prolong his life so long shall we haue cause to reioyce VVhat shall we thinke then of them that haue sought not the preseruation but the vtter ruine and finall ouerthrow of their naturall princes kings and Queenes as wee haue had too great experience of it in this land both in the dayes of our late good Queene Elizabeth especially and also in this short time of our now worthy king Iames we must needs iudge of them not onely as traitours to their persons but as common enemies to all the people of this land in that they haue sought to bereaue vs and them of the chiefest cause of our ioy Traytors are enemies to the common ioy and so to cast vs into vntimely sorrow For as there was great lamentation among the Iewes and not without cause 2 Chron. 35.24 25. at the death of that good and godly king Iosiah so that Ieremie the Prophet trembled also and seemed to be the chiefe mourner so had we no lesse cause to lament at the death of our noble vertuous Queene and the ministers of the Gospell most of all and all the vnfained professors of the same and should haue had a great deale more if she had beene traitorously taken away before the full number of her dayes were expired to the great disturbance of the whole Realme according to the desperat and continual attempts of her enemies And so should we now still haue if any such thing should be offered vnto his maiesties person Therefore we must iudge of them as of our greatest enemies who seeke to bring vpon vs a common sorrow before the time But let vs lift vp though not our hands yet our voice against them pray vnto God still to disappoint them of their treasonable deuises and diuellish practises and to preserue our king and all his that so we may still reioyce in their saluation euen for Christ Iesus his sake In thy saluation c. As all subiects principally should by this example learne to pray for their kings and all chiefe gouernours vnder them That God would preserue and blesse them that they might thēselues reioyce because they be worthy instruments of Gods goodnesse vnto them which is the thing that hath bin handled alreadie so all inferiours may here see as in a glasse what minds they should carry to all their superiours those that God hath placed in any roume of what kind so euer they be that they should bee persuaded that in their preseruation and welfare consisteth their owne ioy and comfort All inferiors should count the welfare of their superiors their own ioy and that they cannot miscarrie or any ill befall them but themselues must needs be sorrowfull and in that respect pray for them continually be they neuer so meane As with this mind persuasion the people should pray for their minister's and teachers who watch for their soules Heb. 13.17 and for the saluation of them as the holy Apostle saith For it is true that Christ saith of them and was found most true in his owne person That when the shepheard is smitten Matth. 26.31 the sheepe will be scattered that is when God taketh them away who are their guiders the people are in daunger to fall into all kind of error heresie and sinne and to be distracted scattered among themselues not onely in iudgement but in affection besides they may want the comfort of Gods word and of their praiers So should all children be affected to their naturall parents fathers mothers and also seruants to their masters and gouernours That seeing God hath placed them ouer them for their good and they inioy so many great benefis in their houses and by their meanes and so haue so many causes of reioycing from them by them they should pray for their liues health and welfare that they may reioyce there still for they shall haue their part in it and it shall bee the better for them And they must thinke before hand that whē God takes them away they shall haue great cause of sorrow And their death or hurt their sorrow as we see how greatly Ioseph lamented for his fathers death who when he gaue vp the ghost Gen. 50.1 Vers 11. His sonne fell vpon his fathers face wept so he cōtinued mourning for him a long time at his buriall there was such great mourning for him that the place had the name of it And Esau the sonne of Izack though he was a wicked disobedient child as appeareth in his storie Heb 12.16 yea a prophane person as the holy Ghost calleth him yet he had so much grace in him as we say that hee thinketh of his fathers death before hand as of a time of sorrow and mourning and so speaketh of it Gene. 27.41 saying The dayes of mourning for my father will come shortly
respect wee haue great cause to be sorie The great losse when the good die whose prayers we had whē the Lord taketh away any good mā or woman for then we want so many that might stil haue prayed for vs and for the Church and so wee are left the more destitute of helpe And if wee ought to lament the death of those who haue been beneficial to vs for worldly things whose helpe wee see now that wee want to our great hindrance then especially should wee be grieued that wee are depriued of the comfortable presence of those to whom in all distresses of bodie or minde wee might resort and communicate our whole estate as Dauid did to Ionathan and might boldly haue desired their prayers and might with great facilitie haue obtained them for vs. Thus much for this part of the title that this Psalme being a prayer of the Church for Dauid hee made it for them and committed it to the singer that he might take order that it should be vsed publikly and so by vertue of it did require that thus they should pray for him One thing more of Dauid is to bee obserued out of the title and the discourse of the whole Psalme namely with what minde and purpose or to what end he desired their prayers Not as purposing to neglect prayer himselfe Dauid in desiring their prayers did not purpose to neglect prayer himself or to grow any whit more slacke in it because of that and so to put off this as a burden from himselfe as one that had other great matters in hand and so to commit it to them that should haue leisure enough As if hee should haue said you know that I must goe out to battell against the Ammonites and in warre wee shall haue our hands full and our mindes taken vp euery way I shall haue no leisure to pray to God there though I know it to be necessarie and would faine doe it I would haue you therefore to pray for me and so trusting to them should neglect this dutie himselfe and so they might haue prayed very doubtingly for him but that they might be the more willing to pray for him in this case hee telleth them and professeth it openly that he would pray to God himselfe and as he should be in any speciall trouble so he would doe it much more earnestly and therefore he would haue them pray to God for him that he would heare those prayers of his So then in requiring this of them hee did not leaue them in suspense to thinke thus he willeth vs to pray for him indeede and so it is our bound dutie to doe and wee will doe it but wee cannot tell whether hee will vse any prayer himselfe which if hee doe not ours shall doe him the lesse good But as hee required their prayers so hee bound himselfe to the like practise No more must kings when their subiects doe pray for them and would haue them also to know it before hand that so they might pray accordingly that God would heare his prayers So that first of all Kings and Princes be they neuer so great must not so require their subiects to pray for them that they shuld thinke it were not needfull for themselues to pray at all for they had enow that daily did it for them euery where And all others that desire the prayers of their brethren must not for that bee any one whit the more remisse and sparing in their owne prayers which is diligently to bee marked of vs because it is contrarie to the common practise of the Church of Rome and of diuers others For the Romish Synagogue maketh Emperours Kings The practise of the Papists is otherwise and great men to beleeue vpon their credit that prayer doth not so necessarily belong vnto them or to such kind of men that doth peculiarly belong to the Clergie and Church-men as they cal them they could pray enough for them and for al the world if they may be wel paid for their labours Therefore if such men as they will but giue some lands and reuenewes to an Abbey or erect a Monastery or some religious house there to be prayed for they shall haue so many continually to pray for them that it maketh no matter though themselues very seldome or not at al pray This kingly prophet or propheticall king was of another minde and so ought all godly and religious not onely Princes but men and women to be But to leaue these men And of some Gospellers and their religious practises to themselues we shall finde this corruption to be in some that are not of the worser sort that when they know that others doe pray for them in sicknesse or otherwise they can be contented to let passe their owne prayers now and then in hope of that and to become somewhat remisse themselues But as Dauids desire was here not onely that they would pray for him but after this manner euen that God would heare his prayers which hee had and would make euery day so doth the Apostle ioyne these two very fitly together and requireth them both of all men alike Jam. 5.13.14 saying Is any man among you afflicted Let him pray Is any sicke among you Let him call for the Elders of the Church and let them pray for him where he would haue al men to pray for themselues in their seuerall afflictions and to send for others that they might pray for them likewise We must not seuer our own prayers from the prayers of others And as he would not haue them in some cases to content themselues with their owne prayers but send for others to pray with them so hee would not haue them passe ouer their owne prayers in hope of that but begin with them first and pray themselues and if they cannot that way preuaile sufficiently then to call for the aide of others among whom it may come to passe that the prayer of some one righteous man or other might bee so feruent that it might auaile much for them Therefore those things which the Lord by precept and by the practise of his seruants hath ioyned together so neerely let no man put asunder Yet God heareth his seruants for those that neither doe nor can pray for themselues And yet we doe not denie but that such is the goodnes of God to all sorts of men to leaue them without excuse and that hee hath made so many gracious promises vnto the prayers of his seruants that hee often heareth them praying for those who neither pray for themselues at all neither can pray nor haue any purpose to doe it So did he diuers times as hath been declared before heare Moses and Aaron praying for Pharaoh King of Egypt for his Princes and for his people all which had no purpose at all to serue God themselues neither knew how to doe it but did hinder as much as lay in them his people from
vnlesse we then call vpon him Now at this day there are many troubles in our land as not onely secret practises of traytors against the Kings excellent Maiestie but also great sicknesse and mortalitie in many chiefe places and the same dialy spreading it selfe further and further by reason of the great and dangerous contagion of the pestilence As at this time especially therefore it is high time for euery one of vs in all places to pray earnestly vnto God and as euery day bringeth vnto our eares the reports of new troubles so must we continue in our prayers that God may heare vs at the last as he hath also promised that he will The third thing to bee obserued out of these words is the forme and tenour of their prayer which is this that they pray to God that he would heare the prayers of Dauid which hee should make in the time of his troubles Therfore as it is our duty to seek to others in our troubles for their prayers and the greater that they be to seek vnto them for it the more that they striuing with vs in prayer wee might obtaine So when any shall thus desire vs to pray for them it is our dutie to doe it and so also to desire the prayers of others that in no case we neglect them our selues of which points seuerally wee haue intreated at large before So more particularly wee see from hence how wee may pray for any We may alwaies thus pray for men that God would heare their prayers whether wee are desired or not desired thereunto whether we know their estate perfectly or we be altogether ignorant of it euen that God would heare them and giue them according to their owne prayers For as if one man should haue a suite to another and should desire vs to speake for them or wee know of it otherwise though not in particular what the speciall thing is that hee desireth wee might say I pray you bee good to such a man graunt him his request wee might that wayes doe him some good So this way wee may benefit men alo Though we know not their estate when wee pray to God to giue them their requests though wee know not euery thing that they desire And thus did Hely the Priest pray for Hannah the wife of Elkanah 1. Sam. 1.13 that God would heare her prayer that she made though hee knew them not for she spake in her heart onely her lips did mooue onely but her voyce was not heard and when hee did mistake her as though shee had been drunken As Hely did for Hannah shee said nay but shee was troubled in spirit and did powre out her soule before the Lord but did not tell him for what Then he said Goe in peace and the God of Israel grant thy petition that thou hast asked of him And she desireth him still that hee would pray for her And at the last when she had obtained her request she returned to giue thanks and told him the whole matter and said Oh my Lord Vers 26. as thy soule liueth my Lord I am the woman that stood with thee here praying vnto the Lord I prayed for this child which she had brought with her and the Lord hath giuen me my desire which I asked of him therefore also I haue giuen him vnto the Lord as long as he liueth he shall be giuen vnto the Lord and he worshipped the Lord there Where we see how he praied to God for her that he would heare her praiers and graunt her the petition that she had asked of him though he knew not what it was and so requested him to continue his prayer still for her though she doth not tell him the speciall thing that she prayed for Indeede if wee knew the particular estate of men wee might pray for them more directly and more effectually But if wee know it we may pray for them more particularly Jam. 5.16 according to that counsell which S. Iames giueth vnto all Acknowledge your faults one to another and pray one for another that ye may be healed for the prayer of a righteous man auaileth much if it be feruent Where he willeth vs not only to make knowne the diseases of our bodies to others by sending for them in the time of our sicknes but euen our speciall sinnes that haue been the cause of them that so in great compassion towards vs both of soule and bodie they might pray feruently for vs when they shall see what great neede euery way we haue of their prayers But if we doe not thus confesse vnto them or cannot yet generally and effectually also wee may pray God to heare their owne prayers which they do and should make principally themselues according to the commandement of the same Apostle Vers 13. Is any among you afflicted let him pray that God I say would heare them in that trouble that they bee in what and whensoeuer Therefore no man in neglecting of this dutie of prayer for others is to say I would gladly pray for such an one if I knew his estate and what to pray for for it is sufficient that the Lord knoweth it Ye are we not to neglect this dutie of praier for any though wee know not their estate that he knoweth it himselfe and doth pray for himselfe accordingly then may wee safely pray that God would heare those prayers of his And thus did Salomon in the dedication of the Temple which hee built to be an house of prayer for all nations and doth himself pray vnto God for all those that should hereafter come vnto that place there to pray whose prayers therefore in particular what they should be he could not possibly tell and doth not onely desire the Lord to heare them in such and such particular things as hee there nameth as when they should bee ouerthrowne before their enemies and when there should no raine and when there should be famine 1. King 8.33 and such like saying If they then come and confesse thy name and pray and make supplication vnto thee in this house then heare thou in heauen and be mercifull vnto the sinne of thy people Israel but more generally saith That what prayer and supplication so euer shall be made of any man Vers 38. Salomon prayed God to heare them whose prayers he could not know or of all thy people Israel when euery one shall know the plague in his owne heart and stretch foorth his hands in this house heare thou then in heauen thy dwelling place and be mercifull and doe and giue euery man according to all his waies as thou knowest his heart for thou only knowest the hearts of all the children of men And in the end hee concludeth thus These my words which I haue prayed before the Lord Vers 59. let them be neere vnto the Lord our God day and night that hee defend the cause of his seruant and the
wherewith they are kept from cold when others goe halfe naked quake for cold their food in aboundance and of the best both for necessitie and delight when others are pinched with hunger haue but bread and drinke and not ynough of that who themselues and their children do eat by measure and by weight to draw out their food at length their soft and warme lodging when others lie hard and cold and scarcely can be warme all night These and many things els can put them in mind from day to night and from night to day what great cause they haue to reioyce aboue many others Let them then in the name of God so consider of them that they may reioyce for God hath giuen them to them to that end as Salomon saith in the booke of the Preacher Eccle. 2.24 That this is the fruit of all that a man can haue of all that he hath to eat and to drinke and to reioyce in the blessings of God and yet that also is the gift of God as he confesseth there Therefore they aboue all others must confesse that God hath giuen them great cause of ioy and nothing can so befall them vnlesse God take all away from them as hee did from Iob but they must needs acknowledge that still they haue cause to reioice So that it is not onely lawfull for them in and for these to reioice but it is necessarie that they should doe so and it is required at their hands insomuch that if they were so blind that they would not confesse that they had great cause of ioy all men would by the benefits which they enioy in great number witnesse against them and if they were so froward that they would not reioice all men would condemne them for it And thus we see that all sorts in respect of Gods benefits which he hath bestowed vpon them haue cause to reioice The prayse of God must be the fruit of our ioy But what is to be done in this ioy and for all these causes of ioy it followeth in the next words of the text on this wise And set vp our banners in the name of our God that is praise God for them for we see here how they are ioyned together That we may reioice in thy saluation and set vp our banners in the name of the Lord our God So they say that this should be the fruit of their ioy they would praise God in it for the cause of it And this ought to be the fruit of true ioy in all men and for all things For as all good and godly sorrow should driue vs vnto prayer that God might turne that away from vs or remooue it for which we doe sorrow so on the contrarie all true and godly ioy should driue vs to thankesgiuing for that which is the cause of our ioy And as herein godly and wordly sorrow differ that the one many times driueth to despaire or causeth sicknesse and so death in the end 2. Cor. 7.10 the other causeth repentance neuer to bee repented of and so prayer to God for the forgiuenesse of our sinnes which haue iustly brought vpon vs that cause of sorrow So on the other side herein godly ioy differeth from worldly ioy the one maketh a man secure and to forget God and to rest in himselfe and sometimes to be prophane and to keep no measure in things but to abuse that that he hath but the other inlargeth the heart to praise God and maketh him to goe out of the things themselues the causes of his ioy vnto God the author of them And thus doth the Apostle very excellently by these fruits note out vnto vs true sorrow Iam. 5.13 and true ioy when he saith Is any among you afflicted let him pray Is any merrie let him sing where hee maketh prayer the fruit of sorrow in affliction and thankesgiuing the fruit of ioy in Gods benefits And S. Paule doth shew vs at large the difference betweene the worldly ioy of the wicked and the godly ioy of the righteous when he sayth to the Ephesians Ephe. 5.18 Be not drunke with wine wherein is excesse but be fulfilled with the spirit speaking vnto your selues in Psalmes and hymnes and spirituall songs singing and making melodie to the Lord in your hearts And therein true ioy differeth from all worldly ioy giuing thankes alwaies for all things vnto God euen the father in the name of our Lord Iesus Christ wherein one kind as in feasting which is lawfull and common to the good and bad and which is an honest means to make men merry and glad hee sheweth the diuersitie of the mirth of the one and of the other The men of this world they exceed and fall into the abuse of Gods creatures sometimes till they be drunken or haue surfeited and so also giue themselues vnto that mirth which is excessiue and immoderat and sometimes yea commonly ioyned with prophane scoffing or some wickednesse The children of God vsing his creatures soberly and in his presence euen at their feasts doe thereby prouoke one another to prayse God and make themselues merry in God and as in his sight VVee see then what should be the fruit of our ioy in Gods benefits namely the prayse of God and to what end also hee giueth to vs so many things wherein we may reioyce euen that he might haue the whole glorie and prayse of them So that whether we be poore or we be rich haue we more or haue we lesse to reioyce in this must be the fruit of all that we praise God for such things as make vs to reioyce And so as there is none in the world but hee hath some cause of ioy so the Lord looketh for continuall prayse at the hands of vs all but as many haue more cause to reioyce than others Thus all haue cause to praise God by reason of the manifold blessings which they enioy aboue them so he looketh for more prayse and thankes at their hands than of others as there is good cause For to whom much is giuen of them much shall be required VVhich if they doe not labour to performe and profit by Gods benefits and by their ioy in them to that end it may come to passe that the wicked may haue as much ioy in the things that they possesse as themselues yea the very vnreasonable creatures and the brute beasts in their kind for if our ioy end not in the prayse of God what are we better for it than they Therefore it is not ynough for a man to say I liue merrily and at my hearts ease I haue many causes of ioy I am void of sorrow and griefe I haue nothing that doth trouble me but am in continuall mirth it is not ynough I say to be in this estate and thus to boast and say but we must labour to be thankefull vnto God for it who is the cause of it let our ioy in these
things lead vs vnto him then shall it appeare in truth that our ioy is not so much carnall as spirituall not altogether worldly but heauenly Thus haue the seruants of God behaued themselues in time past in the midst of their ioy as that good king Iehoshaphat and his people when God gaue them victorie ouer their enemies according to their prayer euen ouer that great hoast of the Ammonites and the Moabites and those of mount Seir of whom it is thus written 2 Chron. 20 25. That they destroyed one another So that when Iudah came to Mizpeh in the wildernesse they looked vnto the multitude The godly haue ended their greatest ioy with thāksgiuing and behold the carkasses were fallen on the earth and none escaped and when Iehoshaphat and his people came to take the spoile of them they found among them in abundance both of substance and also of bodies laden with pretious iewels which they tooke for themselues till they could cary no longer for they were three dayes in gathering of the spoile for it was much Then euery man of Iudah and Ierusalem returned with Iehoshaphat their head to goe againe to Ierusalem with ioy for the Lord had made them to reioyce ouer their enemies Thus they reioyced greatly as they had cause both for the victory and for the spoile but what followed vpon that the praise of God for it is said in the verse going before That in the fourth day they assembled themselues in the valley of Berachah for there they blessed the Lord therefore they called the name of the place the valley of Berachah that is of blessing or praysing of God vnto this day So that as their ioy was great so was their thankesgiuing and praise to God great and famous so that the place had the name of it And they did not tarrie vntill they came home to Ierusalem to giue thankes there which yet it is most like that afterwards they did but euen in that place where God gaue them cause of ioy and whilest that lasted that they might doe it the better So we see that they practised that which is spoken of here they so reioyced in the saluation that God gaue to the king and to all the people that they did set vp their banners in his name when he had fulfilled their petitions which they had made vnto him before So must we also in all feares that we be in when God shall deliuer vs out of them as he did these and so giue vs cause to reioyce we must prayse his name for it as they did As for example when it shall please God to put an end euery where vnto this great mortalitie of the pestilence that hath a long time beene in many places of this land and is still then all shall haue cause to reioyce So must we do when God shall make vs glad by taking away this plague But as we meet now from weeke to weeke and from day to day to pray to God for it so must wee then meet againe in the valley of Berachah to prayse him for it that is we must publickely and often meet to giue thankes vnto him and to set vp our banners in his name that hath so gratiously fulfilled our petitions And in the meane season looke in how many feares we haue beene in either of that or of any other thing and haue escaped it and so now we are glad we must yeeld so many prayses vnto God for the same That vertuous woman Hannah when she had by prayer obtained the benefit of a sonne she greatly reioyced as she had cause and as she confesseth her selfe saying My soule reioyceth in the Lord my horne is exalted in the Lord 1. Sam. 2.1 c. Before that she was sad and wept and could not eat her meat nor hide her griefe because her barrennesse was reprochfull vnto her but now she reioyceth and in this ioy looketh vp to God and prayseth him saying Mine heart reioyceth in the Lord and she maketh a song of thankesgiuing vnto God as appeareth by the wordes following So must we doe in all the benefits that God bestoweth vpon vs I meane not only reioyce in them as naturall men but prayse God for them as spirituall that so our ioy might be such as it should Let vs then consider in the feare of God how many times we haue reioyced and that with exceeding great ioy when God hath had no praise nor thanks from vs at all know assuredly that that ioy hath not bin rightly ordered for God doth make vs reioice not for our selues alone but for himselfe also yea principally that he might be praysed for it Therefore we must be carefull that these two goe together alwayes namely our owne reioycing and the prayse of God As the blessed virgin Marie doth ioyne them together in her song Luke 1.56 My soule magnifieth the Lord and my spirit reioyceth in God my Sauiour where she ioyneth her owne ioy with the praise of God and maketh the one the cause of the other So that whether wee ioy in the common benefits of our time wee must prayse God for them as Iehoshaphat and his people did or wee reioyce in our priuat benefits as Hannah and Marie did we must prayse God for them so shall our ioy be not onely comfortable to our selues Our ioy and Gods prayse should goe together but acceptable vnto God and profitable vnto others when as the more benefits that we haue the more we reioyce and the more we reioyce the more thankefull are we to God for the same VVe doe not therefore find fault with myrth we forbid not men to be merry be it farre from vs that we should be so Stoicall seuere nay we exhort all men to it and shew that they ought when God giueth them cause only that kind of myrth is condemned in the Scripture which tendeth to the dishonour of God or when they fall into excesse or they cannot be merry but they will be mad also as we say so that they throw firebrands and deadly things and say Prou. 26.19 They are but in sport as Solomon speaketh of them or that kind of myrth wherein God hath no prayse at all which is the best kind of myrth that the wicked and men of this world haue VVe allow of that wherein God is praysed and of that onely for though we be not bound in all our myrth to sing Psalmes neither indeed can we yet after all our myrth both for it and for all causes of it we should giue thankes vnto God But many are so farre from this that they reioyce in such things for which they cannot prayse God yea for such which it is shame once to name whom we leaue vnto God that he may giue them better minds others though they haue cause of honest and lawfull ioy yet they forget to be thankefull for it for whom let vs pray also and for our selues
MEDICINES FOR THE PLAGVE That is Godly and fruitfull Sermons vpon part of the twentieth Psalme full of instructions and comfort very fit generally for all times of affliction but more particularly applied to this late visitation of the Plague Preached at the same time at Norton in Suffolke by Nicholas Bownd Doctor of Diuinitie And now published for the further good of all those that loue and feare the Lord. Perused and allowed Exod. 15.26 If thou wilt diligently hearken vnto the voice of the Lord thy God and wilt doe that which is right in his sight and wilt giue eare vnto his commaundements and keepe all his ordinances then I will put none of these diseases vpon thee which I brought vpon the Aegiptians for I am the Lord that healeth thee LONDON Printed by Adam Jslip for Cuthbert Burbie and are to be sold at the Swan in Paules Churchyard 1604. To the right Worshipfull Master Doctor Tindall Deane of Eely and Master of Queenes Colledge in Cambridge his very reuerend and good friend the dayly encrease of that blessing of God which is promised to the mercifull Matth. 5.7 RIght Worshipfull Sir if this small Treatise had beene a learned discourse of some high point of Diuinitie in controuersie at these daies it might vvell haue beene thought beseeming the fauour of him vvho hath not only spent all his life in the Vniuersitie among the learned but for his great learning and vvisdome hath many yeares beene chiefe gouernour not onely of those that are studious and desirous of learning but of great learned men themselues and those vvhich are teachers of others But seeing it containeth nothing els but common and ordinarie instructions vnto godlinesse and consolations in trouble it may be iudged more fit to be presented vnto some vvho though hee vvere of like vvorship yet might be of lesse learning and authoritie among the learned But my Apologie and defence for my selfe is this That such haue beene your deserts a great vvhile not to others alone but euen vnto my selfe that they haue craued somevvhat at my hands long agoe as vvell as at others Presuming therefore of the thankfulnesse of many others vnto you according to their dutie I could not satisfie my self in this my I wil not say vnthankfulnesse but insufficient thanks and so this oportunitie being offered I did not consider so much vvhat vvas meet for you to receiue for your desert and for your place as what I vvas presently fit for my abilitie to bring euen a little fruit of my labours for your aboundant kindnesse tovvards me 2. Sam. 4.15.33 as the Prophet Elisha did to the Shunamite for all her great fauours to him and his And as the fruit of your fauour hath not beene for a fevv dayes or months but hath extended it selfe vnto many yeares so I vvas desirous to leaue behind me some testimonie of my dutie againe vvhich might continue for some yeares and that as you haue long since by many deserts attained vnto that commendation vvhich the spirit of God giueth vnto Boaz Ruth 2.20 That you haue not ceased to doe good to the liuing and to the dead so your vertues might be remembred to the glorie of God not onely vvhiles you liue but when you shall be dead Of vvhich if I should say nothing my selfe knowing so much and hauing so good cause not onely the many learned diuines and students in other arts which vnder your wise gouernement continue the studies still in your Colledge with great encouragement from your selfe but those godly preachers especially vvhich these many yeares haue come from thence into diuers parts of this realme vvith great profit vnto the Church of God vvill speake sufficiently both for the time present and this next age to come vvhich doe vvillingly and in all places acknowledge themselues and their learning and the foundation of all their preferment to be vvholly beholding to your selfe Which godly care of yours in aduauncing of learning and pietie you being a professed patrone of learning and learned men shall so much the rather continue and encrease in you to the good example of others of your ranke vvhen besides the blessing of God vpon your labours this vvay vvhich is principally to be regarded you shall perceiue that by obliuion it is not altogether forgotten of men And thus hoping that you vvill accept this as a testimonie of my true thankefulnesse vnto you vvhere better requitall is vvanting I pray God to blesse you in your Colledge still that from thence as frō an excellent schoole of the Prophets there may come continually manie faithfull Pastors into the Church of God not so much like those that vvere brought vp at the feet of the great Doctor Gamaliel Act. 5.34 Chap. 13.1 and 11.26 as those that vvere at Antioch vvhich gaue the first name vnto Christians that God may be honored and the Church edified by your meanes more and more and so your selfe not onely haue the continuance of a good conscience here but most of all in the last day They may bee your crowne 2. Cor. 1.14 and you theirs vvhen all of you appearing before the Lord you may vvith much comfort say vnto him Here am I Isai 8.18 and the children whom thou hast giuen vnto me and hee againe vnto you Matth. 25.21 Jt is well done good seruant and faithfull thou hast beene faithfull in little I will make thee ruler ouer much enter into thy masters ioy So verie humbly and heartely I take my leaue Norton in Suffolke May. 1604. Your Worships in all dutifull loue Richard Bownd ⧠TO THE GODLY and Christian Reader perfect health of soule and bodie from our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ the only giuer and preseruer of them both THese few Sermons which at the first were meant but vnto a few I haue now published and made common vnto others not onely that by this meanes the doctrine and consolation contained in them might be renewed vnto the first hearers which for them is a sure thing Phil. 3.1 as the Apostle speaketh but that according to the Communion of Saints as in the naturall bodie 1. Cor. 12.12 c. that gift which is in any part the rest haue the vse of it so in the mysticall bodie of Christ that which he by his spirit and by his owne ordinance had made proper vnto some others might haue the fruit and benefit of the same For seeing we be all alike subiect vnto the same corruption and vnbeliefe in our soules and there is no temptation appertaining vnto man but euery one may fall into it as well as another there is no instruction or comfort out of the word of God which any haue receiued but the rest of the seruants of God may receiue the like from thence especially seeing they proceede from one and the same spirit of truth and of life which quickening the whole bodie worketh in euery member proportionably Therefore as I am not altogether
but reposeth his whole confidence in Gods defence therefore hee prayeth to him before he beginneth any thing and determineth further in the whole course of his proceeding stil to pray vnto God for direction and aide And not onely to doe it a little at the first as may appeare out of the verse Dauid did desire the people to pray for him 1.3.4 but because it concerned not himselfe alone but all the people and finding his owne insufficiencie in prayer and beleeuing the promises of God made vnto the prayer of other especially of the Church he desireth them to pray for him and namely to pray that God would heare his prayers which what they were or should be in particular they knew not but generally they might presume that they were good and such as did concerne that action and so whatsoeuer they were he would haue them pray to God that he would heare them as appeareth vers 4. The people doe according to this direction and commaundement of his The Prophet did vse this forme of prayer for him for they vsed this forme of prayer which hee had prescribed and so did pray earnestly for him that God would both heare his prayer and defend his person and to that end send him helpe from heauen and declare by the euent that hee had heard his and their prayers in giuing them victorie ouer their enemies and God heareth them all and saueth the king confoundeth their enemies causeth them to returne home with victorie and great triumph as appeareth by the next Psalme wherein he and they together giue thanks vnto God for the victorie attributing it onely to God and not to their owne strength or any power of man as in this Psalme they had professed that they did not trust in chariots and horses and such warlike defence as men vse to doe and namely their enemies did but only in the protection and defence of God which by calling vpon his name they sought for And so this is the generall argument and summe of this Psalme both in respect of Dauid who made this prayer and of the people who did vse it for him By the inscription then it appeareth that Dauid making this prayer for the people to vse in his behalfe was desirous that they should pray for him and did as it were seek it at their hands If he in so good a cause did not rest in the confidence of his own prayers but desired others to pray for him and if he did it then when he had so many means to accomplish his desire because he knew God to be aboue them and so as without him they could doe nothing and hee was able to hinder and to frustrate all and if hee that was so well able to pray for himselfe and others yet did desire the prayer of others of those that were inferiour vnto him Kings ought to take order that the people should publikly pray for them Then no King Prince or Potentate is exempted from this to stand in neede of the prayer of others and therefore they ought to take order in their seuerall realmes and dominions that the people may vsually pray for them in their publike places and assemblies and more seriouslie and particularly to doe it as there shall bee any speciall occasion as here was in the time of Dauid Therefore this order that is among vs established by lawe that in all Churches the Minister and people are willed to pray continually for the Kings most excellent Maiestie both in common prayer and in preaching and that as warre or other thing shall fall out so some speciall formes of prayer are set out by publike authoritie to bee vsed in such cases is according to Gods word and to the example of godly Princes I speake not now of our duties to pray for them but of theirs that they should thinke that they neede it and so require it of the people Al men ought to desire others to pray for them according to their seuerall neede And if Kings are bound thus to doe then Noblemen and other inferiour persons much more who haue not so many meanes to accomplish their owne desires or it may be are not so well able to pray for themselues at leastwise as Dauid was And so generally all men for this as well as the rest of the Scripture is written for our learning are bound as at all other times to desire others to pray for them so also as they shall haue any speciall cause to desire them to doe it a great deale more and not only to pray themselues for themselues continually because prayer in all things is our speciall refuge and succour but to desire others to pray God that he would from time to time heare their prayers And as Dauid doth it here in this speciall neede of his as being in danger and feare of his enemies so if we be in sicknes and feare of death we should in the feeling of our own weaknes and in the faith of the prayers of others desire thē to pray for vs and not only to pray our selues And this is the aduice and commandement of the Apostle Is any among you afflicted Jam. 5.13.14 let him pray is any sicke among you let him call for the Elders of the Church and let them pray for him Now seeing sicknes is but one kind of crosse and the Lord hath many waies else to afflict vs in any of them we ought to do the like yea and not only when affliction is vpon vs that it might be remoued and taken away but when wee haue iust cause to feare it that it might be preuented and so we escape it And not onely in outward affliction but all inward much more by how much they are more dangerous and grieuous as if wee shall be distressed in minde being tempted by Sathan either vnto sinne or for sinne for if they be auailable in other cases then in these And so to conclude this one point in a word in euery matter that is of any importance either for our selues or for any of ours wee ought so to commend the same and the whole successe of them vnto God in prayer who must onely bring them to passe as that we rest not therein but desire also the prayers of others to helpe vs in the same This ordinance of his By this God would haue vs vnited in loue one to another the Lord in much wisedome and mercie hath left to vnite vs in brotherly loue one to another that when we shall see by experience how much we are or may be beholding one to another in that by their prayers wee haue been holpen in so great distresses wee might from the bottome of our harts vnfainedly loue one another Thus the greatest Monarch may be beholding to all his subiects as Dauid was here to his people and the rich this way may thinke that they faire the better for the poore and the Minister for the meanest
of his flocke And it were well that this way wee were all of vs a great deale more beholding one to another than we are in that we would in brotherly loue acquaint others with our estate and desire their prayers and then they would pray for vs according to the counsell and aduice of the Apostle Acknowledge your faults one to another and pray one for another Vers 16. that ye may be healed for the prayer of a righteous man auaileth much if it be feruent If we should for our owne benefit and good acquaint other with some speciall sins that haue been the cause and so consequently that may bee the cause of some great crosse that they vpon the knowledge of it might in greater feeling and faith pray for vs that they might bee forgiuen and wee deliuered from the punishment of them then should wee make them acquainted with other of our necessities to that end much more As in other things wee need the help one of another so in prayer and therefore should desire the same And that wee might bee perswaded vnto this duty of crauing the prayers of others in the feeling of the great need that we haue of them let vs first of all consider how the Lord hath so made vs all that he would haue vs helpe one another and know that we neede the help one of another both for soule and bodie and euery way else and therefore that we should seeke for it one of another as in the naturall bodie all parts doe need the mutuall helpe one of another as the eyes of the feete and the belly of the hands and doe in a sort seeke vnto them for it and by a naturall instinct as it were begge and craue it And all experience teacheth vs that in all other things none of vs is sufficient of our selues and therefore we craue the help of others as in counsell in labour and in all worldly affaires why then should it not be so in praier also Yet such is our corruption that we rather seeke helpe in any thing as distrusting our selues sauing in this wherein wee most neede it But we haue found the other true by our owne experience and so doe vse it if we did beleeue this and would doe thereafter wee might finde the fruite of it as sensible We desire men to sue for vs to Princes so should wee do vnto God Secondly when we haue suites vnto Princes or great men we desire those that are in fauour with them to further our suites and those especially that are most gracious with them and wee rest not in our selues though we be well knowne vnto them especially if the matter that wee sue for bee of any moment why should wee not then much more speak vnto others that they would pray to God for vs and commend our suites vnto his high Maiestie For though Gods loue be not partiall as mans is Matth. 18.20 but his promise is to all alike yet experience sheweth that some are more acquainted with prayer then other and so haue more accesse vnto God as it were and come oftner into his presence and neerer vnto him and so there is more hope that they should bee sooner heard Especiallie when God hath made a speciall promise that when two or three bee gathered together in the name of his sonne hee will be in the middest of them and therefore when diuers or the whole Church pray for vs there is more hope of being heard than when wee pray our selues alone The Papists pray to the Saints that are dead that they would pray to God for them that hee would heare their prayers for which there is no warrant in the Scripture but the whole word of God is rather against them but here is an example to desire the prayers of the Saints on earth that are liuing with hope of great fruite and few do follow it Thirdly when we pray When wee wrastle with men we desire help so should wee when wee striue in prayer with God Gen. 32.24 we doe as it were striue with God to obtaine some thing as was shewed to Iacob in the vision of an Angell wrastling with him all night long to teach vs that when we pray we must not come coldly or sleepely vnto it but with all earnestnes of desire and not giue ouer vntill the Lord blesse vs as Iacob would not let the Angell goe vntill he blessed him and then the Lord will assuredly blesse vs if we perseuere as he did Iacob and as Christ hath shewed in the parable of the wicked Iudge who was ouercome by the importunitie of the widow Therefore as when we wrastle or striue with a man Luk. 18.2 we knowing his great strength and our owne weakenes and so how hard it is to ouercome we would gladly haue others to helpe and to striue with vs against him and so we may more easily do that by the helpe of others which alone hardly or not at all we could do So when we striue with the Lord God in prayer being priuie to the weakenes of our owne faith and how many sinnes there are to hinder vs and what an hard thing it is to obtaine any thing in respect of our great vnworthinesse we should desire others to helpe vs with their prayers and therein as it were to striue with vs. And in this respect it is a singular great blessing if it were rightly esteemed and accordingly vsed to haue many in a familie or in the Church to pray with vs and for vs. Thus speaketh the Apostle and thus did hee practise when hee so earnestly intreated the Romanes to pray for him Rom. 15.30 32. saying Brethren I beseech you for our Lord Iesus Christs sake and for the loue of the spirit that you would striue with me by prayer to God for me that I may come to you with ioy by the will of God and may with you bee refreshed He had often and of a long time purposed to come to them Chap. 1.10 as he professeth in the first chapter and prayed that by some meanes one time or other he might haue prosperous iourney by the will of God to come vnto them Paul desired the Church to striue with him in prayer now at the last he desireth them also not only to pray but to pray earnestly and to striue with him in their prayers that he may come with ioy and doth beseech them that they would doe so euen for the loue of Christ and of the spirit If hee then after so many and earnest prayers did desire them to striue with him how had we need much more to doe it who pray seldomer and more coldly And truly as great things may be done when many striue together which none of them could seuerally doe so by the prayers of many great things are obtained which by the prayers of one alone are not so easily gottē So the same Apostle writeth to the Corinthians that
heard them and one of them for another as the people of Ierusalem for Dauid their King the Prophet Isaiah for Hezekiah and the rest of the people and the captiued Iewes for Hester the Queene and her for them so will hee doe one of vs for another So that if we daily giue our selues to prayer and make conscience to vse that holy ordinance of God our selues wee may in great faith and hope desire the prayers of others And thus much for him that made the prayer whose name is prefixed in the title of it now for them that vsed it which was the Church of God at Ierusalem which is to be gathered out of the discourse of the whole Psalme but I cannot enter into it at this present I will reserue it vntill the next day THE THIRD SERMON vpon the first verse The Lord heare thee in the day of trouble the name of the God of Iacob defend thee The people pray for the King as they were desired THese are the words of the people which they spake vnto God in the behalfe of their King and so they did as Dauid desired them namely pray for him If they did thus pray for him being desired thereunto and it was their bound dutie so to doe and they knew it to be so and therefore did make conscience of it and it had bin a very great fault for them to haue failed in it then by consequence it followeth of necessitie that whensoeuer any of our brethren or sisters in Christ shall desire this dutie at our hands So must we do for all those that desire our prayers wee must bee carefull to performe it and it were a fault not to be excused in vs both against God and them to faile in it Therefore wee must not thinke that when godly men and women at their parting or otherwise desire our prayers and say I pray you pray for me or remember me in your prayers that these are words of course though I doe not denie but that many doe so vse them and so doing they take the name of God in vaine but wee should be perswaded that out of the abundance of their feeling of their owne wants they speake vnto vs and so be willing by our prayers to helpe to supplie them Especially when they shall make their estate known vnto vs And especially wee should doe it when they shall make knowne their estate vnto vs as here Dauid did to the people giuing them to vnderstand that he should or might be in great daunger of his enemies and so it was a time of trouble vnto him as he called it and as the Apostle S. Iames speaketh Acknowledge your faults one to another and pray one for another Jam. 5.16 that ye may be healed that when the sicke should send for godly and graue men and so they should not onely see their estate for bodily health but they should also for their owne further comfort confesse vnto them their speciall sinnes which they finde to haue been the cause of them that then they would bee most willing to pray for them being sent for to that end especially So then if we see plainly that they haue cause to desire our prayers and that they doe it with earnestnes then most of all should we thinke vpon them and vpon their estate to pray for them and it must needes bee a great fault to forget them For as if any should bee in distresse or want and should stand in neede of our helpe for meate and drinke and cloathing or other things and should come and make their moane vnto vs and desire reliefe from vs if we seeing their estate to be so pitifull as indeede it is should not be mooued in compassion to helpe them according to our abilitie it were a token of great hardnes of heart in vs So much more when any shall make knowne their wants vnto vs to that end that we might pray to God for them if wee should forget it or neglect to doe it it should bewray too great want of fellow-feeling and brotherly compassion in vs. Most of all this dutie of prayer ought to bee carefullie performed And most of al when thereupon we haue promised to pray for them Psal 15.4 when wee haue promised it vnto any vpon such notice of their estate for as all promises made to our brethren ought to be kept yea though it bee to our owne hindrance so those most of all that so neerely concerne them And as if when any should desire vs to speak to some great man for them and wee promise to doe it and they trust to it hoping that we will be as good as our words it were a great deceit in vs to faile them and so to frustrate their expectation For all lawfull promises must be kept So when any haue desired vs to speake to God for them and vpon our promise they would comfort themselues ouer it if we should by negligence deceiue them it were a great fault in vs and that which the Lord would require at our hands though they should neuer know of it Therefore as we ought dâ—â—y to pray one for another vnasked as our Sauiour Christ hath taught vs O our Father which art in heauen giue vs this day and forgiue vs our trespasses and leade vs not into temptation c so more specially and by name should we do it for them that haue desired it of vs. And so parents especially should not forget their children in their prayers which daily aske their blessing and hope to be blessed of God by their prayers Secondarily if wee should neglect to pray for them that haue desired it at our hands Els they that we trust vnto shal neglect to pray for vs. how could we haue any hope that others whom we haue desired to pray for vs should performe that dutie vnto vs Nay might not wee iustly feare that they would altogether neglect it seeing we doe neglect them and should it not be iust with God so to punish vs according to the saying of our Sauiour Christ Matth. 7.2 Looke with what measure you meat vnto others it shal be met vnto you againe And I remember that this was the saying of a reuerend father in the Church who is now fallen asleepe in the Lord when any desired him to pray for them as many did and more then any that I haue knowne he would say vnto them I pray you pray for me and pray that I may remember you and then I hope I shall not forget you Therefore if we would haue others pray for vs let vs pray for them for wee can neuer haue greater assurance that they will doe it for vs than that we are carefull to doe it for them and the more that we doe it for them the more may we hope that they will do it for vs. For the spirit of God that mooueth vs pray and knoweth much more that we doe so it being
made vnto prayer which are infinit in number and vnmeasurable in greatnesse but take one for an example Christ saith in the Gospell Aske and it shall be giuen you seeke and yee shall finde knocke and it shall be opened vnto you Matth. 7.7 which hee deliuereth without limitation that we might know that it is not to be restrained to our selues but if wee aske for others wee shall receiue for them Then let vs set before our eyes the manifold and happie experience of the truth of these promises in all the seruants of God And by the experience of them in others who by their prayers haue obtained great things for others as we haue heard alreadie that when wee shall finde this way Gods word and all his promises pure and most certainly to be trusted vnto as siluer that is tried in a fornace of earth Psal 12.6 and fined seuen fold we might relie vpon them and so be willing to pray for others knowing that we shall not lose our labor Thirdly to these wee must adde the consideration of our owne experience But most of in our selues and remember for whom wee haue prayed and how often and what hath been the successe of our prayers As how wee haue prayed heretofore for the life and preseruation of our gouernours and namely of our late Soueraigne Ladie of famous memorie Queen Elizabeth and how God hath often deliuered her from many great treasons intended against her by the Iesuites and other Papists how we haue prayed for others as for the life health and prosperitie of our parents husbands wiues children neighbours and friends in their seuerall griefes of minde and infirmities of bodie and other distresses and what hath followed thereupon as how they haue been recouered and comforted and otherwise holpen and relieued how here in the Church we haue sometimes prayed for those that haue been very sicke euen at deaths doore who haue receiued the sentence of death in themselues and yet they haue recouered and some of them are aliue still that so as Dauid said vpon his former triall The Lord that deliuered me out of the paw of the lion 1. Sam. 17.37 and out of the paw of the beare hee will deliuer me out of the hand of this Philistim so wee might vpon our former experience boldly say God that of his mercie and goodnes hath vouchsafed to heare me for such and such wil heare me also at this time for these To this end also wee must wisely obserue and diligently marke for our owne comfort and the good of others what hath followed vpon our prayers and what God hath wrought or done for them Yea all they that desire the prayers of others for any speciall cause whether of the Church generally or of priuate men particularly should signifie vnto them afterwards which few or none doe and it is a great vnthankfulnes in them vnto God and man not to doe it what blessings they haue found vpō themselues by such prayers not onely that they might bee thankfull to God for them as they prayed for them before but that being confirmed by such experience they might the more willingly and boldly pray for them and for others at some other time as there shall be neede and for want of this they cannot doe it so cheerefully and so confidently as otherwise they might doe To conclude the summe of all that hath been said in one word How greatly men faile in neglecting to pray for others we see what is here required of vs euen that we bee mindfull to pray for others and what good reason there is for it both in respect of our owne comfort and of their good let vs examine our selues to see whether wee haue been so carefull to performe this dutie vnto them as we should How often haue wee and doe we pray for the good estate of the Church of God in other countries as in France the Netherlands Geneua and such like that God would defend them from their enemies and inlarge the kingdome of Christ among them Nay how often doe wee pray for the Church of God in this land and in the kingdomes vnited How often for the Kings Maiestie the right honourable Councellors Iudges and Magistrates not onely of this land but more specially of our owne countrey How often for our neighbours yea particularly and by name for them of our owne family as for al our children and seruants Yea let vs call into our minds how often wee haue prayed seriously and in good earnest for those that haue desired our prayers and haue as it were made a couenant of prayer with vs by promising that they would pray for vs if we would remember thē whether we haue carefully kept this promise and couenant or no and when we shall finde that wee haue greatly failed this way let vs be sorie that wee haue not done that good this way that we might and that hath been looked for at our hands and therefore that wee cannot haue that comfort in the common blessings of God in church and common wealth and vpon priuate men that others haue And let vs determine for the time to come to be more mindful of others in our prayers and let vs be so indeede especially of all the Church of God and of all those that we haue made this promise vnto and so haue bound our selues to it by a couenant in the Lord that so the Lord may also reward vs with the prayers of others and with the fruit of the same in our greatest neede when wee shall haue carefully performed this dutie vnto them before Especially let vs remember to pray for the King and for all our gouernours as wee are bound thereunto both by the word of God and the lawes of the realme as if wee had made a certaine promise to them for it THE FOVRTH SERMON vpon the first verse The Lord heare thee in the day of trouble THus the people doe speake vnto God in the behalfe of their King and so they pray for him The people pray for king Dauid that God would heare him and defend him This practise of theirs must be our imitation for it is the dutie of all subiects likewise to pray for their Princes and gouernours and as wee doe owe vnto them tribute custome feare and honour as the Apostle saith Rom. 13.7 so this dutie of prayer also and most of all and therefore it is a great fault in any to neglect it let vs therefore doe it So should we all doe for our King and that of conscience publikely and priuately Men for the most part are addicted to themselues or to their friends in prayer the King they think is a great way off and so the prouerbe with them is too true Out of sight out of minde or they thinke he is well enough and hath all things at will therfore he needeth not so greatly to be prayed for especially of vs. Surely we cannot
denie but that this dutie of prayer for him is greatly neglected of many for how few doe vse to pray for him at home in their houses And bind themselues to it as a matter of dutie and at Church also they pray not for him as for themselues But the Apostle Paul chargeth Timothy a Minister of the Gospell to practise and to teach this I exhort saith he that supplications 1. Tim. 2.1 prayers intercessions and giuing of thankes be made for all men for Kings and for all that are in authoritie that we may leade a quiet and peaceable life in all godlinesse and honestie First of all pray for all sorts rich and poore bond and free next for those of whom there might bee some question then as for Kings and gouernours because they were enemies to the Church and people of God So then if we had the most wicked King and cruel tyrant set ouer vs as some haue in these daies and our forefathers haue had in the daies of superstition and Poperie yet wee ought all to pray for them for though they were nought themselues yet the gouernment is good and of the Lord much more then should we doe for those that are good What great reason there is of it as for our King he being a professor of the Gospel which is rare among Princes in these daies and after the purest manner and truly called the Defender of the true ancient Catholike and Apostolike faith A great learned man also able to iudge of things himselfe and more learned than any Prince that we know of being brought vp of a childe in learning vnder most excellent schoolemasters and tutors his learned bookes also doe sufficiently testifie of his great learning both in the tongues the Artes and in the word of God He is one of great gouernment in himselfe both for apparell and for diet lowly minded and not ambitiously puft vp with the accesse of so great kingdomes and for his wisedome he hath been long exercised in gouernment and in gouerning of a troublesome kingdome A man of great courage for the warres and of policie for peace and in a word the mirrour of the world What cause then haue we to pray for him And that we might doe it What great benefits we enioy vnder the gouernment of our King let vs remember how the Apostle telleth vs of the benefits that wee receiue by our Kings and to what end their gouernment is appointed namely not for themselues but for their subiects that they by their meanes might liue peaceably honestly and godlily which are three great cōmodities and comforts of this life and without which our life were not life And first for peace nothing is more to bee desired than that for if we had all that we haue and a great deale more and yet were subiect to warres abroad or forren inuasions or to robbers and theeues at home it would doe vs little good And yet this peace without godlinesse is nothing worth as if wee had not the meanes of our saluation and might not thus come to the Church to serue God according to his word and to leade our liues thereafter And if we had these yet if there should bee no honestie among men nor any true dealing one with another so that one man might not trust another but there were lying deceiuing oppression and such like without controulment Now all these benefits of peace honestie and godlinesse we haue by the meanes of our King especially wee may looke for them vnder his gouernment 1. As to liue peaceably For as for forren enemies and inuasions which in former times wee haue been in feare of he is in league with all Christian Princes round about him so that we shall not need to feare them and as for tumultuous and disordred persons at home the lawes are still in force to suppresse them and it is like that new shal be made if there be any cause and though some doe breake out in hope of the Kings pardon yet for the time present the lawes will take hold of them and how farre his gracious pardon will extend they know not we may be sure that all such shall be exempted who doe euill before hand in hope of it 2. Godlily And we hope to liue godlily vnder him for we doubt not but that the Gospel shall be continued and wee hope that the estate of it shall be bettered and though the Papists seeke for a toleration of their superstition and comfort themselues with false promises that way yet we hope that their eyes shall fall out with looking for it in vaine for seeing that hee hath kept it out of Scotland all this while when he was of lesser power there is no likelihood that he should now yeeld vnto them when he is of greater power and more able to keepe vnder the whole route of them But the more obstinately that they seeke for it the more earnestly had we need to pray to God for the King to bee zealous against them 3. Honestly Lastly we hope to liue honestly vnder him for he seeketh alreadie the good of all his subiects as appeareth by his proclamations wherein he hath giuen all men that are any way oppressed to complaine of their griefes yea though it bee against them that are in authoritie with good hope of finding reliefe he hath also put downe the Monopolies and such like kinde of abuses because they stood not with the common profit of his people and this he hath done though his Maiestie was interressed in some of them and some vnder the colour and pretence of that hoped stil to retaine them Therefore when we haue and looke still to enioy such great benefits by his most gracious gouernment what great cause haue wee to pray for him What cause we haue to pray for the life of our King And the greater that these benefits be the more cause haue we to pray for his life by whom next vnder God we looke to haue them continued For if he should miscarrie which God of his great mercie keepe from vs then all these great blessings might goe away with him at once For though by the grace of God he hath issue of his owne bodie lawfully begotten in holy Matrimony who shal sit in the throne of the kingdome after him yet they are all yong and it is no great blessing but rather a punishment to haue children raigne ouer vs Jsai 3.4 as the Prophet saith For besides many great wants that would be found in them the Nobles and Peeres of the land and such great men could not so well bee kept in order some of them when there were none to complaine of them if they should offend a Lord Protector or Viceroy carieth not the maiestie of a King in the hearts of men The forraine enemies would be more bold against a childe than against a man both of wisedom and courage yea there would be more
rebellions attempted at home Therefore wee haue great cause to pray for the life of our King and the rather for that wee see how his life hath been desperatly sought by diuers as appeareth by the confession of some who are in prison at the least for suspition of treason Now if they begin thus malitiously and impudently so soone what will they not dare to doe hereafter if God and good lawes doe not suppresse them And truly by this experience that we haue that euill things thus determined in secret are wonderfully disclosed and brought to light before hand and the malefactors apprehended and taken we may see the fruit of our former prayers for his Maiestie and that should incourage vs with good hope to pray for him still Nay we haue longer experience of the fruite of our prayers for our Princes in the time of good Queen Elizabeth whose life was so often sought and so desperatly that she might truly say with the Psalmist They haue often times afflicted mee from my youth Psal 129.2 but they could not preuaile against me for she went to her graue with peace full of daies threescore and nine which is a great age for a Prince when she had happily and peaceably raigned fiue and fortie yeeres Let vs labour then as much as in vs lieth to draw out by our prayers the life of our most gracious Soueraigne as an euen thred to the full for as the Lord God hath ordained the thing so also the meanes which we for our part must not neglect And let vs pray not onely for his royall person but also for his gouernment that vnder him wee may leade a quiet and a peaceable life in al godlinesse and honestie 1. Tim. 2.2 as the Apostle speaketh vnto Timothy and namely that at the next Parliament good lawes may be made for the reformation of all things that are amisse in the Church common-wealth This sermon fell out vpon that day which caused this digression And seeing that we are commanded to keepe the memory of this day with publike thanksgiuing for a famous and memorable deliuerance bestowed vpon his Maiestie in his Realme of Scotland from the treasonable conspiracie of the Earle of Gowry and his complices of whom in that respect we may say as it is in the Psalme If the Lord had not been on his side Psal 124.2 3 4 c. when men rose vp against him they had then swallowed him vp quick when their wrath was kindled against him then the water had drowned him and the streames had gone ouer his soule But praised be the Lord which hath not giuen him as a pray vnto their teeth his soule is escaped out of the snare of the fowlers the snare is broken and he is deliuered it falleth out not vnfitly with the argument that out of this text we haue in hand For as Dauid in this Psalme teacheth the people to pray for him and in the next to giue thankes so it is our bound dutie not onely to pray to God for him but to giue thankes for him as the Apostle also speaking of the duties of the people to their kings which he exhorteth Timothy to teach and to practise ioyneth these two together saying I exhort that supplications prayers intercessions 1. Tim. 2.1 and giuing of thankes be made for Kings and for all that are in authoritie And there is great reason that wee should thus doe What cause we haue to giue thankes to God for our King for if wee ought to bee thankfull vnto God for other common benefits as peace libertie the Gospell and such like then also for him by whom wee hold them Therefore among other benefits let vs continually remember this and see how wee faile therein and in our thanksgiuing remember other priuate benefits and not this great one or not so much as we should And though we must needes confesse that we haue great cause to be sorie for the death of our late Queene Elizabeth by whose wise gouernment we inioyed so many great benefits that we might much more truly say of her than Dauid did of Saul in his lamentation 2. Sam. 1.24 that she cloathed vs in skarlet with pleasures and hanged ornaments of gold vpon our apparel yet we must see and confesse to the praise of God as the truth is that we haue great cause to reioice that the Lord hath prouided one to succeed in her roome when her time was expired that it might not bee said of vs as it was of the Iewes in the daies of the Iudges Iudg. 18.1 that there was then no King in Israel and so we should haue bin as sheepe without a shepheard scattered here and there as it is said of the Israelites when King Ahab was slaine in the battell These haue no master let them returne euery man to his house in peace 2. Chron. 18.16 Then haue we much more cause to be thankfull that God hath raised vp him for vs In respect that he is right heire to the Crowne euen the right heire to the Crowne both by father and mother they two being the lawfull grand-children of the Ladie Margarite sometimes Queene of Scots by mariage and eldest daughter to King Henry the seuenth where if the Nobilitie had set vp some other of the bloud royall further off there must needes haue been great ciuill warres to the spilling of many thousand English mens blood and some of them should haue died in an ill cause ignorantly or against their wils as when the two houses of Yorke and Lancaster were a long time diuided in this land And then also some forrainer might easily by their owne power and by the helpe of the Papists and other mutinous and malecontented persons haue soon set footing into this Isle which would not so easily haue been driuen out againe And besides all this wee haue great cause to bee thankfull And so rarely qualited for the kingdome that he being the right heire is so wonderfully qualited for the kingdome that as the Queene lately deceased was a rare woman fit for the Crowne by election if not by inheritance so he a very rare man for all parts of soule and bodie and that the Lord did so fit him for this place and then sent him vnto vs that he came not as Saul in Gods wrath who was a cruell tyrant but as Dauid in Gods mercie to feede his people in Iacob Psal 78.71 and his inheritance in Israel And for his royall posteritie Act. 13.36 And this is no small benefit that he hath a royall posteritie to succeed in the throne of the kingdom least when he should haue serued his time by the counsel of God and so fall asleepe and be laid with his fathers we should be in a new feare And what should we say of this that he came to the Crowne so vnlooked for For though it was his inheritance yet such was the wisedome of
our gouernours that for certaine causes best knowne vnto themselues which it is not meete for vs to inquire into it was not lawfull for any of the common sort to haue discourses of the heire apparant and so few of them thought of him that we haue now or of any other But this is most of all to be wondred at And for his peaceable entrance that he came to the kingdome so peaceably and with so great approbation of all sorts of men and trauelled through the length of the whole land almost euen at the first for meaner men haue not come to their inheritances and taken vp the possession of them so quietly For truly by the grace of God to his praise bee it spoken there is no more alteration in the land in any estate or in priuate mens condition for the most part than if the Queene were still aliue And this benefit is the greater because we feared the contrarie and none could haue looked for after her death such times as we haue now And if there be any change at all And that in this short time since his comming things are bettered it is from worse to better so that since his comming many things are better in the Church commonwealth For by the gracious proclamations of his Maiestie many abuses of Playes and Interludes with Bearebaitings and Bulbaitings vpon the Sabbath day are put downe with Monopolies and ingrossings of wares into the hands of a few men many worthy men are aduanced to greater honour and worship the Papists in lesse hope of any toleration for their Popish idolatrie than before And vnto all these benefits this is none of the least And all things very cheape that God hath added this plentie of all things euen at this time whereby victuals and other things are resonable cheape least by scarcitie there might be occasion of dislike Therefore in respect of them all let vs be thankfull vnto God and yet againe let vs consider that all these come not without some punishment as this plague which is so scattered in many parts of this land especially the chief cities wherein wee must also acknowledge the great mercie of God But we are fallen into Gods hand by reason of the plague that wee haue escaped that which wee had deserued and had most cause to feare euen to fall into the hands of our enemies that they might make a pray of vs and of al that wee haue which Dauid accounted a great mercie and chose it when both of them were offered vnto him saying Let vs fall now into the hands of the Lord for his mercies are great and let me not fall into the hands of men 2. Sam. 24 14. therfore let vs be thankfull vnto God for this mercie also and so ioyning thanksgiuing vnto prayer for these causes that wee haue heard let vs pray vnto God for the preseruation and honour of our Lord and King Iames whom the Lord at this time with so many great benefits hath sent vnto vs and let vs take these words of the Psalme into our mouthes from which I haue a little vpon this occasion that you haue heard of digressed and say The Lord heare thee in the day of trouble c. The Lord heare thee These are the words of the prayer of the people for Dauid their King but as Ioab taught the woman of Tekoah what she should say to the King Chap. 14.19 and did put those words into her mouth which she spake before him so Dauid made this prayer for them and taught them what they should say vnto God in his owne behalfe and did as it were put these words into their mouthes when they should come before him And so hee not onely as a King taught his subiects what dutie they did owe vnto him but as a Prophet also speaking by the inspiration of the spirit of God 2. Pet. 1.21 as other holy men that wrote the Scriptures informeth the Church of God what duties they owe to him and to their superiours Dauid teacheth the people their dutie to himselfe So that he doth not in teaching them this duty of prayer for him ambitiously seeke himselfe and stand vpon his own prerogatiue to say Oh I am your King you ought to pray for me and to doe so and so but he knew it to bee his owne dutie to informe them that were committed vnto his charge in all duties to God and men euen to himselfe and therefore doth thus discharge it knowing also that in his owne safetie did consist their welfare and therefore in praying for him which hee taught them to doe they should benefit themselues So may and ought all superiours do to their inferiours So that by his example it is lawfull for all publike persons in the Church and commonwealth to teach those that are vnder them what duties they should doe to them and to require them at their hands without all suspition of ambition vainglorie or any waies seeking themselues Yea they ought to doe it and no man to finde fault with them for it not only because all superiours must teach their inferiours but also and especially because the inferiours in doing such duties vnto them shall greatly profit themselues Thus may and ought all the Ministers of Gods word in wisedome teach the people and flocke that is committed vnto them As the Minister to their people and flocke what duties they owe not onely to God and other men but euen to themselues and in so doing not to be thought of any ambitious proud c or their doctrine any waies disliked or suspected and to shew vnto them whether for reuerence of their persons to haue thē in singular estimation for their workes sake or for obedience of their doctrine 1. Thess 5.13 Heb. 13.17 to obey it that they may goe on with cheerefulnes or for maintenance or recompence of their labours in worldly things 1. Tim. 5.17 to giue them double honour or in any thing els what they should do vnto them Not only because they be faithfull in Gods house as Moses was Heb. 3.2 and so deliuer vnto them the whole counsell of God Act. 20.27 as Paul did and so teach them all-things and therefore of necessitie there must bee a time for them but also because the people in doing these duties to them they benefit themselues For in preseruing the authoritie of the ministery of the word inuiolable in their consciences and in the consciences of others consisteth the peoples welfare So that as this people was not to except against this prayer when it came to them from Dauid for it came not by the way of intreatie as an indifferent thing but by a princely iniunction or propheticall instruction and so as a necessarie dutie of theirs and therefore they were to thinke that they were bound vnto it and that hee did necessarily require it at their hands and not to make
hath bin the cause that many euen for feare haue been ouercome much more when the thing hath bin vpon them haue they fallen into great impatiency and many lamentable outcries Euery one of vs is well acquainted with our owne weaknes this way and do find by experience how smal things we can beare and how the least thing doth ouercome vs yea the very feare of it many times therefore we had need to labour for strength And by that weakenes that is in our selues we may easily iudge what is in others and so see how requisit it is for them also that God should strengthen them Further it is to be considered God onely strengtheneth and weakneth the heart of man that as we haue seene how requisite it is for vs to haue strength according to the measure of our crosses temptations so of whom we shal haue it namely of God for they pray to him for it and say The Lord strengthen thee out of Sion he hath the hearts of all in his hands to order at his pleasure and if he giue strength then shall we be strong and if he withdraw his hand from vs and cast feare vpon vs if we were as stout as Lions before we shall be as weake as water And this truly as it is a great punishment to bee too feareful so God hath threatned to cast it vpoÌ„ them that breake his law and contrary to be of a good courage as it is a singular fruit of a good conscience so God hath promised to giue it to those that keepe his law Leuit. 26.7 For it is thus written If yee walke in mine ordinances and keepe my commandements to doe them fiue of you shall chase an hundreth Vers 36. and an hundreth of you shall put ten thousand to flight But if they will not obey me nor do all these commandements I will send a faintnes into their hearts in the land of their enemies and the sound of a leafe shaken shall chase them and they shall flee as fleeing from a sword and they shall fall no man pursuing them they shall also fall one vpon another as before a sword though none pursue them and ye shal not be able to stand before your enemies Deut. 28.66 And thy life shal hang before thee thou shalt feare both night and day and shalt haue none assurance of thy life in the morning thou shalt say would God it were euening and in the euening thou shalt say would God it were morning for the feare of thine hart which thou shalt feare for the sight of thine eyes which thou shalt see Thus strength courage in all troubles is the gift of God as fearefulnes is a punishment sent of God Iâ—sh 2.11 for it is said that the Lord cast a feare vpon the Cananites so that they durst not stirre Thus we see who is the giuer of al strength in al trials and temptations and that we haue it not of our selues Therefore no man must thus presumptuously think of himself that if trouble come he hopes he shal beare it out wel enough for he hath sufficient strength and courage for if he were of as great courage and valour as Dauid who slew a Lyon and a Beare yea Goliah himselfe yet when he commeth to a new trial he shal find himselfe altogether insufficient but as the Lord shall make a new supply of strength The Apostle S. Peter thought himself to be a stouter man a great deale then he was and that he would not shrinke for a little when he said if all men forsake thee yet will not I Matth. 26.33 but at the length God leauing him to himself for his triall he had no strength to stand but did both deny forsweare his Maister three times Thus wee must ascribe all our former strength vnto God he only it is that must strengthen vs still In troubles we must pray to God to strengthen vs. Iam. 1.5 Seeing it is so we must pray to him for it as Dauid doth here prayer is the meanes to obtaine all things from God therefore not only if we lack wisedome as the Apostle saith let vs aske it of God but if we lack any thing els as if we be faint-harted if we be weake in faith if wee lack patience if wee feare that wee shall not be able to beare things Therefore as in trouble wee must pray for other things according to our estate as for deliuerance or mitigation so especially for strength to beare whatsoeuer shall be laid vpon vs and wee may doe it in the greater faith because God hath promised it 1. Cor. 10.13 euen that hee will lay no more vpon vs than we shall be able to beare So then in all affliction let this be one part of our prayer for if God strengthen vs we shall be able to beare any thing And whereas they pray thus for Dauid it is our bound duty so to pray one for another as if we heare of any to be vnder any crosse pray vnto God for them that God would strengthen them And so strengthen those that are vnder the plague So did the Martyrs in persecution one for another and so must we do now for those that are or shal be visited with this pestilence that God would strengthen them with faith in his good prouidence with patience to beare all things with perseuerance vnto the end And as he looked for good by their prayers so God that hath commanded vs to pray one for another will not suffer vs to pray for them in vaine And thus though we cannot come one to an other by reason of the infection to minister any other comfort yet wee may pray vnto God to strengthen them and though wee cannot ease them of their paine yet God may strengthen them by our prayers to beare it patiently Out of Sion As before he had taught them to aske strength for him so here he doth shew from whence he did looke for it Out of Sion the place of Gods worship and from whence hee would haue them pray that it might come namely from Sion which was the place of Gods worship vnto which hee had respect in naming the place which there and there onely was to bee had without which that place did not differ from any other Whereas then these are the things that doe strengthen vs in trouble that we haue saith in the forgiuenes of our sinnes and in Gods prouidence hope that God will be with vs and defend vs and lay no more vpon vs than we shall be able to beare and patience that we may be quiet All these are wrought and increased in vs by the word Sacraments and prayer which 〈…〉 Sionâ— that is in the place appointed for Gods worship 〈…〉 willeth them to pray for him that God would so blesse these meanes that he had vsed there before and which now were and should be vsed for him that by them hee
profit by it to amendment of life if he should also giue vs patience yea if hee should take vs away in this plague and should assure vs in the middest of all pains and feares of death of the forgiuenes of all our sinnes and giue vs good hope of euerlasting life and of the resurrection of our bodies that when wee giue vp the Ghost wee might boldly say Father into thy hands I commend my spirit might wee not bee well assured by these that God had heard our prayers Therefore if affliction and trouble doe come let vs see how we profit by it and what patience God giueth and so accordingly be assured that God hath heard our prayers And that the Lord in mercy will thus deale with vs wee may be assured of it so many as pray to him aright and this must be sufficient for vs and a sure token that God hath heard our prayers that wee might bee thankfull to him for it Therefore let vs not cease praying vnto him night and day not doubting but that God in his good time will turne our burnt offerings into ashes that is some way or other shew that he hath heard our prayers to his glory and the comfort of our selues and of our brethren Selah The vse of it for musicke Selah The Hebrew word retained in the Latine and English translations for the Greeke hath it not vsed for the most part only in the Psalmes which were made to bee sung in the temple noteth a vehement lifting vp of the voyce and especially thereby also a contention and affection of the minde so that the Musitions when they came to this word which was vnto them as a direction in Musicke did not so much sing it or say it as we doe now but letting it passe thereby did know that they should lift vp their voyces on high to that end that thereby their minds and the minds of others might be moued with that that was then sung according to the matter thereof And so it was a note of some change in the musick and thereby also in the minds euen as wee when wee speake of any waightie matter wee put in some note of exclamation or word to stir them vp to attention and to marke it diligently as our Sauiour Christ in the Gospell often in such cases and to this end vseth this word Behold So was this word vsed to stirre vp their voyces and thereby to stirre vp their minds That kinde of musicke that was then vsed in the temple for which this was written is now ceased with the rest of that Leuiticall kind of seruice And for the affections of the mind and so there is no more vse of it that way yet still it is carefully retained in the text and there is good vse of it in the Church for it serueth to the stirring vp of the mind with some speciall affection vnto that whereunto it is affixed which affection must alwaies be according to the matter contayned in those words whereunto this is adioyned And therefore it noteth out not any one speciall affection of the mind as some interiections doe but diuers and generally all kind whatsoeuer which must be in vs diuersly according to the matter As in the third Psalme it is vsed three times for three seuerall affections according to that that is said there Psalm 3.2 as Many say to my soule there is no helpe for him in his God Selah As if he should say O what a great calamitie or crosse is that I am greatly affected with that and would haue others to bee so too and pity mee thereafter Verse 4. And I did call vnto the Lord with my voyce and he did heare me out of his holy mountaine Selah They said God had forsaken him but hee prayed vnto God and God heard him and then hee addeth Selah as if hee had said Oh what a good God is that and how is that to be marked And lastly in the same Psalme Saluation belongeth vnto the Lord Verse 8. and thy blessing is vpon thy people Selah As if he had said God only can saue and he saueth his people and then affixeth Selah As if he had said Oh what a blessed thing is that and how should wee therefore put our trust in him So here when Dauid had willed them to pray that God would remember his prayers and shew that hee had heard them he addeth Selah to stirre vp their minds and his owne Theirs that they might pray this earnestly for him and know that he had great need of it for hee commended it vnto them with some feeling and hee knew that it was a great thing to offer vp any thing to God that should bee acceptable vnto him if we consider his excellency and our own vnworthines And for himselfe that he would esteeme this as a great benefit if the Lord would shew that he had heard his prayers euen as hee confesseth in the next Psalme Psalm 21.2 Thou hast giuen him his hearts desire and hast not denied him the request of his lippes where hee doth also adde this note Selah to shew that as before they did earnestly pray for it so now they should be greatly affected in thankesgiuing with it and as they had a feeling of their want in praying for it so they should haue of the goodnes of God in giuing thankes for the same and so both in the one and in the other to haue their minds specially moued with that they said Generally wheresoeuer this is vsed The generall vse of this word we must carefully marke it and make some good vse of it according to the matter where it is vsed For though the whole Scripture be excellent in it selfe and in euery part of it as being giuen by the inspiration of the holy Ghost 2. Tim. 3.16 and is profitable to teach to conuince to correct and to instruct in righteousnesse that the man of God may be absolute being made perfect vnto all good works yet some parts haue more speciall vse to vs in some cases than other and therefore some are commended vnto vs with the title of excellencie as all the Psalmes commonly called of degrees Psalm 120.1 or as others reade it of excellencies because in that shortnes they containe some excellent matter So also in the same Psalme some part may bee of greater vse and of more note and obseruation for some causes than some other part of the same as here in this Psalme though hee commended the whole Psalme vnto them and whole matter of the same as appeareth by the title and inscription of the same and the whole discourse of it yet in it the matter of this verse he doth specially commend vnto them for some causes with this marke or note then well knowne because it was in great vse when he addeth Selah So also in another Psalme Dauid commendeth one thing vnto them with a double note Psalm 9 16. Higgaion
the time of Poperie Besides wee must doe all things after that manner that hee hath prescribed in his word with pure consciences 1. Tim. 2.8 2. Tim. 2.19 and lift pure hands in all places as the Apostle saith and he that calleth vpon the name of the Lord let him depart from iniquitie for God heareth not sinners as the blind man in the Gospell said Iohn 9 31. but if any be a worshipper of him and doth his will him he heareth And for want of this he refused the very sacrifices and oblations of the Iewes yea their solemne fastings as wee may see in the Prophet and namely in the Prophet Esay Jsa 1.11 What haue I to doe with the multitude of your sacrifices saith the Lord I am full of the burnt offrings of rammes and of the fat of fed beasts and I desire not the bloud of bullocks bring no more oblations in vaine Incense is an abomination vnto me I cannot suffer your new Moones nor Sabbaths nor solemne daies they are a burthen vnto me and I am wearie to beare them and so foorth as followeth in that place and after hee sheweth the cause of it that their liues were vngodly and so they offred them with an il conscience and therefore he addeth Wash you make you cleane take away the euill of your workes cease to doe euill and so foorth So then we must be of this minde Therefore therein wee must vse all diligence and preparation that it is a very hard thing to serue God as we should and therefore in all parts of his worship wee must vse great diligence that they may bee done in that manner that he may fauourably accept them As now thus to come to the Church weekly as we doe to serue him in hearing of his word in prayer and fasting are things commanded of God but to doe them so as God may receiue them fauourably and blesse vs for them and to be assured of it this is a great thing and euery one must striue to doe them so as God may gratiously receiue them at their hands Wee must be farre then from that Prophets minde which is in some to thinke so basely of God and of his seruice that euery thing should be good enough for him and that he must needes accept all things at our hands and so care not how wee doe them as how we pray how we heare his word how wee receiue his Sacraments c. Doth not our Sauiour Christ say Take heede how you heare Luk. 8.18 to shew that all kinde of hearing is not sufficient vnlesse wee heare his word as wee should and He that hath eares to heare let him heare that is as hee should namely diligently and carefully and as the Apostle saith Let him be swift to heare Jam. 1.19 So that in nothing wee are to vse so much diligence and preparation as in the seruice of God that it may be accepted This lesson doth Salomon teach vs very well in the booke of the Preacher in these words Take heede to thy foote Eccles 4.17 when thou entrest into the house of God and be more neere to heare than to giue the sacrifice of fooles for they know not that they doe euill Where by the feete he meaneth the affections of the minde for as the one carrie the bodie so doe the other the minde and bodie Therefore saith he It is not sufficient to come to the church but wee must come prepared as wee ought 1. Sam. 15.22 thinke not enough to come to the Temple but consider with what mindes you come that is come religiously soberly deuoutly and as you should come and be readie to heare what God requireth of you and doe that and doe not rest in the outward sacrifices as though they were sufficient as many foolish men doe For obedience is better than all outward seruice of God and all sacrifices as was said to Saul That so wee may offer vp our selues vnto God that is our soules and bodies to bee readie to serue him with both as liuing sacrifices Rom. 12.1 holy and acceptable vnto God as the Apostle saith which is our reasonable seruing of God For without this all is euill euen our cōming to Church and prayer to God though foolish men doe not consider of it as Salomon saith They know not that they do euil Prou. 15.8 For the sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord but the prayer of the righteous is acceptable vnto him So then it is not enough to come hither but euery man must consider with what minde he commeth that so God may accept of him of his comming and of his seruice And this wee had neede to bee put in minde of because men for the most part are more carefull about their owne busines Men vse greater diligence about their owne busines than about Gods seruice yea about other mens busines that all may be well done than about Gods In the sixe daies of the weeke how busie are men at home but vpon the seuenth day which is the Lords and so called in the Scripture how slowly doe they come how sleepely do they behaue themselues here as though it made no matter at all how they serued God Yea seruants are commonly more diligent about their masters busines at home more carefull to please and more loath to offend than they are in the Church about the Lords busines and so they shew by their deedes that though it be an hard thing to please their masters yet as they think it is an easie thing to please God Why doth Dauid then desire them so earnestly to pray that God would fauourably accept his seruices and to inforce them vnto it doth adde this word Selah if it were so easie a matter to serue God as they imagine and that hee were bound to take any thing at our hands We see then by this that few men in deed know rightly what it is to serue God when they come to it so hypocritically and so coldly But euery one as they are desirous to serue God in truth as Dauid was here so they finde it to be more hard to doe any thing in such manner But the best seruants of God haue thought so highly of his seruice that when they haue done the best they haue found fault with themselues that they haue done no better Act. 2.37 as may bee acceptable vnto him And this is that that the best seruants of God that haue been tender hearted haue found fault with themselues for and haue beene greatly troubled in their minds about not so much for any great sinnes that they haue committed which by the grace of God they haue been free from as that their prayers that they haue made haue not been in that faith and feeling in that power of the spirit and assurance of being heard that they should and so God might reiect them and that in other part of
his seruice they haue fayled or that they haue not trembled at his word nor been pricked at the heart when they heard their sinnes laid open as those did that are spoken of in the Actes of the Apostles but that they haue been hard hearted rather and not so moued as they should So that they haue had a godly feare that their best seruices might haue been refused And Dauid this holy man of God it seemeth being priuie to the corruption of his owne heart was somewhat afraide that all that seruice which he had done was not as it shuld be whē he so earnestly desired the people and by this note Selah did pricke them forward thereunto that God would accept with fauour his seruices and shew by the euent that he had done so And this is that godly ielousie that Iob had of his children in the dayes of their feasting together which caused him to doe as it is written of him Iob. 1.5 And when the dayes of their banqueting were gone about Iob sent and sanctified them and rose vp early in the morning and offered burnt offerings according to the number of them all For Iob thought it may be that my sonnes haue sinned and blasphemed God in their hearts thus did Iob euery day When they had done feasting the next day hee called them to the sacrifice and seruice of God but that they might doe it as they should hee bad them sanctifie themselues that so they might come holily to it as they ought so that he would not haue them come suddenly from feasting to the sacrifices as though it made no matter how they serued God but bad them prepare themselues and besides he saith it may be they haue not blessed God in their hearts that is they haue not so serued God and giuen thankes to him from their hearts as they should haue done So that the best seruants of God knowing what an hard thing it is to serue God haue been desirous to doe all things so that they might be approoued vnto him and when they haue done best they haue somewhat feared that they haue not done so and so haue earnestly desired to see some way that God had accepted of their seruices and prayers Contrarie to this the hypocrites and all formall men The hypocrites thinke that any kinde of seruice is good enough for God who know not what Gods seruice doth meane they thinke that if they doe any outward seruice to him here in the Church or elsewhere hee is bound to take it let it bee done after what manner it will be and they thinke that they haue great wrong offred if it be not And this is that which the Prophet Malachi speaketh of Ye offer vncleane bread vpon mine altar Malach. 1.7 and you say Wherein haue we polluted thee In that yee say The table of the Lord is not to be regarded and if yee offer the blind for sacrifice it is not euill and if yee offer the lame and sicke it is not euill offer it now vnto thy prince will he be content with thee or accept thy person saith the Lord of hostes Where hee complaineth that for the seruice of God they brought the worst things and they said it made no matter if they brought not of the best where all things in and for the seruice of God should be of the best Where besides that hee saith that this way they brought the seruice of God into contempt he bids them goe and carrie it to their gouernour or any meane man of authoritie and see if hee will take such gifts if they will refuse such presents and thinke themselues abused with such gifts as are not meete for them then the high maiestie of God much more doth not only not receiue such seruice of men as is done carelesly but hee is displeased with it Therefore if it be an hard thing to present the King with any thing that hee may like of and they that vndertake such a matter will vse all diligence to that end then we much more must be perswaded that it is a very hard thing to doe any seruice of prayer or otherwise vnto God so as may be acceptable vnto him and so prepare our selues for it and be carefull to do all things in that manner Yea and when we haue done all let vs pray vnto God to forgiue the weaknes and imperfection of our seruices and to accept them in the righteousnesse and perfect obedience of Christ Which also that they might be they must be according to his word with all our heart being sorie that we can doe no better than we doe For herein consisteth the perfection of our obedience that wee acknowledging with sorrow the imperfection of it and labouring daily after a greater measure of perfection do present it vnto God in the perfection of Christs sacrifice wherein not onely all our sinnes but our imperfections much more are pardoned and not imputed vnto vs. He did esteem the hearing of his prayers as a great fauour of God Thirdly and last of al when to this prayer that they make that God would heare the prayer of the King and some waies shew it he addeth this note of affection Selah it was to shew how he did esteeme of this and how all they should also esteeme of it as of a speciall benefit and great fauour of God if he would so doe and so for it they should be thankfull vnto him As if they had said Let God heare his prayers c. Oh what a great blessing of God were that how should we be bound to him for it what great cause should we haue to be thankfull So then when they prayed for it hee would haue them esteeme it as no common benefit and haue that affection to it Therefore when God had thus done hee doth not onely make another Psalme for the Church to be thankfull to God for it but when in the same hee commeth to make mention of this very thing that they pray for here namely that God had shewed that he had heard his prayer he addeth this Selah againe As Psal 21.2 Thou hast giuen him his harts desire and hast not denied him the requests of his lips Selah As if they had said Oh how much are we bound to him for this what great cause haue wee to bee thankfull what a singular benefit is this worthie alwaies to bee remembred that God hath heard our prayers Here then wee are taught to make great account of this that God at any time doth heare our prayers whatsoeuer we pray for And as wee must make this account before hand when we doe pray so afterwards also If we pray for any thing for soule or bodie for our selues or any of ours for the Church or Common-wealth wee must thus thinke Oh if God will heare my prayers and giue me this thing how shall I be beholding to him for it al the daies of my life So did Iacob also
Gen. 28.20 So doth Iacob in that prayer that hee made when hee went towards Laban as may appeare by his words If God will be with me and will keepe me in this iourney which I go and will giue me bread to eate and cloathes to put on so that I come againe vnto my fathers house in safetie and if thou wilt be my God then this stone which I haue set vp as a pillar shall bee Gods house and of all that thou shalt giue me I will giue the tenth vnto thee And truly it must needes be so So must we doe if we consider our great wants if we doe but consider our great neede of euery thing and what wee are if God doe not supplie them As if a poore creature that hath neither bread nor meate nor cloath nor money to helpe himselfe should come and aske almes and receiue must not he needes thinke how am I beholding to him that hath thus refreshed me and what should haue become of mee poore soule if hee had not had compassion on me As Iob saith of himselfe that he did feede the hungrie and clothe the naked so that the very bellies of them that were fed with his meat Job 31.20 and the loynes of them that were cloathed with the fleece of his sheepe did blesse him So then when wee see that if God doe not thus and thus for vs we are readie to perish must we not thinke that if hee doe and when hee doth bestow it wee shall haue great cause to praise him for it We must not then pray as though we cared not for it but in the great feeling of our need so shall wee esteeme of all things when God shall heare our prayers as we ought Especially if we well way our great vnworthines Moreouer concerning this one point if wee consider our owne vnworthines euen of the least benefit and fauour nay how we haue deserued the cleane contrary then much more must wee thinke when wee pray for any thing that wee shal be greatly beholding to God for it And for our vnworthines remember that wee not onely haue no goodnes that can commend vs vnto God for wee haue not in all things done our dutie as we should but because wee haue been vnthankfull for that that we haue haue abused many things wee are worthie to haue all taken from vs yea when wee remember other of our sinnes we must thinke that we haue deserued his punishments in steed of his blessings When then we aske any thing and shall see so many things to hinder vs from receiuing if it shall please God in the multitude of his mercie to passe by them all and to giue vs our desires must wee not needes thinke our selues greatly beholding to him for it And though it may be wee haue in some sort repented vs of our sinnes yet when we are priuie to our owne hearts that our repentance is so small and when wee finde our faith so weake and that wee aske that that we doe with so much doubting if God giue vs any thing when wee come to him after such a manner must not wee needes confesse that wee shall bee wholy beholding to his Maiestie for the same So that euery way we see that when we pray we must do it with this affection that wee thinke it a great mercie of God and for which wee shall be greatly bound vnto him all the daies of our life if he giue vs any thing And truly if we could come to pray thus If we did thus pray we shuld see how God would heare vs. not onely in the feeling of our great wants but also in the conscience of our great vnworthines and so acknowledge in respect of both how much wee should be beholding to God for any thing then we should see a great deale more than we doe how hee would heare our prayers For as a man when he is sued vnto if he heareth vs confesse that if hee will grant vs our request we and all ours shall be beholding to him as long as we liue this is a thing that will greatly mooue him So the Lord when he seeth that we esteeme the hearing of our prayers to be so great a benefit as it is then is he readie to heare vs for hee will haue vs see how much wee are beholding to him for that that we receiue We pray now that God would stay this heauie hand of the pestilence and that he would proceed no further in iudgement against vs but to our prayers we must adde Selah that is wee must stirre vp our affections so to desire it as that wee professe it to bee an inestimable benefit And namely for the remouing of this mortal plague if this way he shall shew that hee hath heard our prayers And indeede this we must needes doe if we consider how vnable we are to helpe our selues in it vnlesse God helpe and how vnworthie we be of his helpe and so let vs determine when we pray to be thankfull vnto him for it Thus must wee doe also for all other things that we pray for if we will be heard So that if we aske the forgiuenes of our sinnes the increase of faith the assurance of Gods fauour and the feeling of his loue we must doe it as Dauid did Psal 4.6 Lord lift vp the light of thy countenance vpon vs thou hast giuen me more ioy of heart than they haue had when their wheate and their wine did abound as if he had said If the Lord shall giue me this thing I shall be more beholding to him for it than if I had had all the wealth in the world giuen me When that godly woman Hannah prayed for a man-child she doth it so earnestly as may appeare by her words and with such protestation that she did cleerely shew how she did esteeme this that God would heare her in this thing For she saith O Lord of hostes if thou wilt looke on the troubles of thine handmaide 1. Sam. 1.11 and remember me and not forget thine handmaide but giue vnto thine handmaide a man child then will I giue him vnto the Lord all the daies of his life Where we see out of the abundance of her feeling how many words she vseth as if thou wilt looke vpon me and remember and not forget me c and what she promiseth for it and God heard her prayers and she did according to her vow and made a song of thanksgiuing for it Few mē haue these affections in prayer or in desiring others to pray for them Rom. 9.1 We haue prayed vnto God for many things but haue wee done it with that acknowledging that we should be so greatly beholding to God if he heare vs Haue we added Selah that is haue wee thus stirred vp our affections and did wee then determine to be thankful to God for such a mercie and since haue we remembred to be thankful I speake the
to fulfill our desires And thus doth Dauid euen for this very thing confessing openly that God had satisfied his desires when he saith Thou hast giuen him his hearts desire Psal 21.2 and hast not denied him the request of his lips where hee speaketh of himselfe and made that Psalme as a forme of publicke thanksgiuing vnto God for giuing him his desire in the ouerthrow of his enemies VVe in our time haue desired many things in our hearts and we haue not been disappointed of our desires but haue we in all of them so considered God to be the author of them that we haue giuen thankes vnto him for the same If we doe rightly examine our selues But most men faile greatly in this praise and call to mind the time past we shall find that for many things for which we haue prayed O Lord giue me according to my heart we haue not returned with this thankfull confession O Lord thou hast giuen me my hearts desire and hast not denied me the request of my lips And this is that that our Sauiour Christ complaineth of in the Gospell Luke 17.12 That when ten lepers did meet him they stood a farre off and all of them lift vp their voices and said Iesus master haue mercie on vs and all of them were healed But one of them when he saw that he was healed turned backe and with a loud voice praised God and fell downe at his feet and gaue him thankes And Iesus said are there not ten clensed but where are the nine There is none found that returned to giue God praise saue this stranger Thus though all of them had a great desire to be cleansed of that foule disease and did crie out earnestly vnto Christ for it yet but one of them did testifie his faith that he had receiued this benefit of Christ And this is a common fault in the world that scarce one among ten when they haue their desires and that of God and when they haue asked the same of him that are mindfull to giue thanks vnto God that gaue them their desire Many in their wants come to Christ and say Miserere to haue their desires satisfied but few afterwards returne with Alleluia to giue praise vnto him for the same This is that then which the Psalmist not without iust cause so often so earnestly calleth vpon men for and all sorts of men That when they haue bene in great affliction some one way some another and so for their reliefe and comfort they haue desired this and that according to their seuerall estates that when God hath deliuered them and giuen them their desire they would as well by giuing thankes vnto him declare that they beleeue that he onely did satisfie their desire as they did before by praying vnto him For hee saith That some haue bene in captiuitie Psal 107.3 and scattered into the enemies land and there they haue wandered in the wildernesse and desert out of the way found no citie to dwell in both hungrie and thirstie and their soule hath fainted in them Then they cryed vnto the Lord in their trouble and he deliuered them from their distresse Let them therefore saith he confesse before the Lord his louing kindnesse and his wonderfull workes before the sonnes of men for he satisfied the thirstie soule and filled the hungrie soule with goodnesse VVhere he prouoketh them to be thankefull acknowledging of the goodnesse of God with prayse when they haue found by experience how he hath satisfied their desires and would haue them shew that they beleeued that God gaue them their desires by a thankfull acknowledging of the same And so afterwards in the same Psalme he speaketh of others whereof some are deliuered from sickenesse and from death and some from prison and yrons and some from extreme hunger and all these according to their owne desire for he saith of all them Then they cried vnto the Lord in their trouble Verse 13. and he deliuered them from their distresse and would haue all of them likewise confesse to the glory of God and the good of others That God had giuen them their desire when he saith thus Verse 21. Let them therefore confesse before the Lord his louing kindnesse and his wonderfull workes before the sonnes of men and let them offer sacrifices of prayse and declare his workes with reioycing Verse 23. and let them exalt him in the congregation of the people and praise him in the assembly of the Elders VVhere we see that though he confesseth that all of them in their seuerall troubles doe cry vnto God for helpe as beleeuing that he onely can giue them their desires yet he doth not say that all after their deliuerances doe declare their faith in Gods prouidence by giuing him thankes but this he exhorteth them vnto and wisheth that it might be so saying Let them therefore confesse before the Lord his louing kindnesse or oh that they would thus doe So must we do when he shall giue vs our desires in taking away the plague Shewing that though it be mens duty yet many of them are so farre from it that it is rather to be wished and desired than to be looked for at their hands Therefore if it shall please the Lord to be mercifull vnto vs and this way to giue vs our desire by taking away this grieuous rod from our backes and causing this pestilence to cease which hath a long time walked in the darkenesse Psal 91.6 and destroyed at noone day and of which there hath fallen a thousand on the one side and ten thousand on the other we must remember to bee thankefull vnto him for it and let him haue as many prayses from vs for giuing vs our hearts desires as now he hath prayers for it and let vs remember it the rather because we are more prone to crie vnto God in our troubles as others haue done than we are afterwards to confesse his louing kindnesse and his wonderfull works before the sonnes of men and to exalt him in the congregation of the people and to praise him in the assembly of the Elders as we haue heard euen now out of the Psalme And let vs be heartily sory that for so many desires of ours both for soule and body for our selues and ours we haue bene so vnthankefull which might iustly moue him to abridge vs now and to cut vs short of our desire in this thing which doth so greatly concerne the good of vs all and of many thousands of our brethren And this is that which we haue to obserue out of the first part of this verse Fulfill all thy purpose or counsell The second followeth after this manner And fulfill all thy purpose This latter part of the verse conteineth almost the very same petition that the former did sauing that here is somewhat more namely that whereas men when they haue a desire vnto a thing and would faine
whether wee aske life health wealth or any outward thing els we must doe it so farre and to that end that God may be glorified in vs by them as the Prophet doth Be beneficiall to thy seruant Psal 119.17 As Dauid and Hezekiah did that I may liue and keepe thy law where he desireth to liue so as by his godly life hee might glorifie God and hee did esteeme of that as of a great benefit So did Dauid pray when he was banished by Absalom he desireth God to spare him and to continue his life that hee might praise him for in death there was no remembrance of him Psal 30.9 saying What profit is there in my blood when I goe downe to the pit Shall the dust giue thankes to thee or shall it declare thy truth And after the same manner did king Hezekiah when he was sicke vnto death also and had receiued the sentence of it against himselfe by the Prophet Isaiah he prayed That God would not take him away in the middest of his dayes for the glorie and praise of his name and this grieued him most that he should be cut off from partaking of Gods goodnesse and praysing him for it in the land of the liuing Isai 38.11 I said I shall not see the Lord euen the Lord in the land of the liuing and afterwards he addeth Vers 18. The graue cannot confesse thee death cannot praise thee they that goe downe to the pit cannot hope for thy truth but the liuing the liuing he shall confesse thee as I doe this day So wee see to what end he desired life euen that he might haue occasion still to prayse God and the Lord heard these prayers of his and added fifteene yeares to his life Let vs then examine our selues to what end we desire all that we doe whether God may be glorified in vs by them or no if we doe then may we be assured that our prayers are according to Gods will he will heare vs so soone as it shall make for his glory As for example if we desire life principally to this end We must examine our hearts to what end we desire euery thing that we may still prayse God and glorifie his name both in our calling and as we be Christians as Dauid and Hezekiah did and whether we desire children that they might be instruments of Gods glory in this world to serue him in the Church or common wealth as Hannah did and whether we desire wealth and credit that we might be the more fit to do good vnto others and to set forth the prayse of God by our almes and good deeds as Iob Iob. 31.16 Act. 9.36 and Dorcas did and to be short all other gifts of bodie to this end especially as Solomon did aske wisedome for that cause and Queene Hester did put on her royall apparrell Hest. 5.1 and drest vp her selfe well that so in the presence of the king she might find fauour in dealing for the Church of God then may we be bould with great comfort to commend them to God for in them wee seeke not our selues but his glory which is most deare to himself also But for the most part men in all things seeke themselues onely or principally and so haue them not as they desire Therefore if we lacke any thing that we haue desired and prayed for consider whether we did seeke Gods glory in it or our owne benefit if we had respect to our selues then no maruaile if we did want it that we might learne to reforme our desires For though God giueth vnto men that seeke only themselues as he doth to the wicked yea vnto the bruit beasts because he is goodnesse it selfe and would hereby draw all men vnto him yet how much more would he doe it if men did seeke his glory therein For though a master will giue his seruant that which is for his owne profit onely yet he will graunt him that suit especially which shall make for the credit of his master and whereby he may doe him the better seruice most of all when he seeth that he seeketh for it in that respect principally so will the Lord deale with all his faithful seruants much more giue them I say that sometimes wherein they respect themselues onely but most of all that whereby they desire to be furthered in his seruice and to glorifie his name a great deale more That we may reioyce in thy saluation c. As he hath in these words noted what was the end of their desires beforehand so also what should be the fruit of them afterwards and what they would doe for them namely Reioyce in this great benefit bestowed vpon them and prayse his name for it And this should be the fruit of all Gods benefits vpon vs The fruit of all Gods benefits in vs should be the prayse of his name both publike and priuat that as he by them offereth vs occasion of praising him so wee should doe it for them as wee see in the next Psalme this people do according to that that they professe here And truely then doe we rightly profit by all Gods benefits when we giue him that prayse for them that is due vnto him and when we so vse them and speake of them as God the authour of them may be honoured For to this end God giueth all and this is all that we can doe for all To prayse him in heart word and life therefore if we doe not this all is lost vpon vs. And euery one as he receiueth more from God so is he bound to this the more to sing of them to God that is to praise his name for them And to set vp their banners in his name that is to set forth his glory So that the poorest that is is bound vnto it for their life health food and rayment c. other common benefits that they inioy for whē they haue least they haue more than they haue deserued But the rich are bound vnto it a great deale more by how much they goe beyond others in Gods benefits for he did owe them nothing and he might haue made them like others yea and he can so do when he will Daniel 4.30 as he dealt with Nebuchadnezzar whom of a proud king he made a vile beast And this is so proper vnto all the benefits of God that where he speaketh of many of them he beginneth and endeth the Psalme thus My soule prayse thou the Lord. And in another Psal 103. Psal 40 3. speaking of a new benefit that God had bestowed on him he saith Thou hast put a new song of prayse into my mouth shewing what we should doe when God blesseth vs for euery benefit giue him new praises And in another Psalme praying for the forgiuenesse of his sinne he saith Open thou my lips O Lord Psal 51.15 and my mouth shall shew foorth thy prayse as if he had sayd If God shall
bestow this benefit vpon me then I will praise him for it As we should doe thus for all Gods benefits We should more specially praise God for those benefits which we haue asked of him so most of all for those which we haue asked of him as they say here When he shall fulfill all thy petitions they had prayed before that God would heare them and now they promise this That they will set vp their banners in his name And there is great reason of this for besides the benefits that we receiue which deserue prayse we haue thereby experience of the goodnesse of God in hearing our praiers Thus we read in the Gospell that when ten leapers were cleansed all of them hauing begged it of Christ before saying Iesus master haue mercie vpon vs Luke 17.17 but one returned to giue thankes and Christ asketh for the other nine and so sheweth what was their dutie also namely that as they had asked this benefit with him so they should haue returned with him to giue thankes And to this end is it sayd so often in the Psalme where he sheweth how in sundry afflictions men crie vnto God and he heareth them and deliuereth them Psal 107.8.15.21.31 Let them therefore confesse before the Lord his louing kindnesse and his wonderfull works before the sonnes of men where he exhorteth all to praise God for those benefits which hee hath bestowed vpon them at their prayers But indeed this doctrine is so well knowne that it needeth no great proofe there is none so ignorant or so vnthankefull that will denie it onely we had need to examine our selues how we doe practise it whether we haue endeuoured to praise God for all his benefits and especially for those that we haue most desired when we haue had thē whether we haue ben any whit the more carefull to set forth the prayse of God for them than before Now if we find by this triall that the more that God hath giuē vs the more we haue glorified him then may we haue comfort and hope of the continuance of them but if in the abundance of all Gods benefits Let vs examin whether as Gods benefits encrease so we set foorth his glory the more we take our ease and set out our selues to the world and grow more proud and be lesse carefull to glorifie God as most commonly it falleth out then we prouoke God to take them away or to punish vs in them Therefore let euery one consider what good he doth with all that he hath and how by Gods blessings as wealth and such like not his owne name is aduaunced but what good he hath done since for the seruice and glory of God If he see they goe together the increase of Gods benefits vpon him and the increase of Gods glory in him it is well and he hath cause to reioyce but if the one increase greatly and the other decay or stand at a stay then it is the next way to loose all As we are taught in the parable of the Talents Matth. 25.24 he that hid that one that he had in a napkin and did no good with it nor vse it to his masters aduantage it was taken from him and he is called an euill and vnprofitable seruant So all are vnprofitable that in their seuerall callings vse not that which God giueth them to his glory and this shal be the end of them That all that they haue shall be taken from them and they shall haue their portion with the wicked That we may reioyce c. As they haue desired helpe of God for the glory of his name and promised to prayse him for it so more particularly they say that they shall reioyce in the saluation of the king They pray for this benefit that they might reioice namely if God would helpe him out of the hands of his enemies and giue him victorie ouer them For in the preseruation of the king was the good of the whole Church and common wealth therefore if he did well they should reioice and in his hurt and losse was the losse of them all and so they should haue cause to sorrow Therfore they vse this also as a reason to persuade the Lord to hear them That wheras now they were doubtfull or rather in great feare he by the victorie would giue them cause to reioice And though they shew whereunto their ioy should tend namely to the prayse of God singing vnto him of his saluation and setting vp their banners in his name yet they exclude not this but rather include it namely the common ioy of all the people and of the whole Church of God So that we may lawfully desire of God such things as we want to this end euen that we might reioyce and this one thing is sufficient to moue the Lord to giue them euen that thereby we might haue cause to reioyce as we must confesse that then we shal haue cause so to doe For besides the comfort of the thing that he giueth which may cleere vp the outward and inward man the inuisible things also of God are to be seene in his creatures and benefites as his wisedome power Rom. 1.20 goodnesse and mercie c. and so in the sight and feeling of the same we may reioyce much more especially when we haue prayed to God for them we may reioyce that God hath heard our prayers And so we may desire God to heare vs that so not onely for his benefits but for his goodnesse towards vs in them and especially in hearing our prayers for them we may reioyce God is willing to blesse his people that they might reioice Behold then I pray you the wonderfull goodnesse of our God who desireth our ioy and comfort and giueth vs things to that end that we might reioyce and would haue vs aske them of him to that end as this people doth here For as among men this often moueth them to heare vs that we professe to them and they see it also that if they shall doe so and so for vs we shall haue great case to reioyce and be glad and whereas now wee for the want of it are in heauinesse and sorrow this will cheere vp our hearts And this is sufficient to moue them that are of any good disposition that in doing for them that are in need we see that we shall make them and theirs right glad and the poore when they sue to them they vse this as a reason and it is accepted Then may we vrge this vnto the Lord much more and we may be assured that it will moue him As parents are willing to doe good to their children to that end For so good is the Lord to all that are his that he delighteth not in their sorow and griefe no more than parents doe in the griefe of their children nay a great deale lesse by how much his loue infinitely without all degree of comparison
exceedeth the naturall loue of the most tender parents Therefore as they are willing to doe any thing for them when they see their children sad and heauie to cheere them vp and the very bowels of the mother yearneth vpon them to bring them out of their heauinesse so doth the Lord God of his infit compassion in whom that is sea-full whereof we haue but one drop And we may desire of him our comfort and the meanes of our comfort and therefore pray that he would giue vs this and that according to our particular need euen that we might reioyce whereas now and and without them we are full of griefe Therefore if a man be in feare of some trouble as these were of enemies which maketh him sad at the least he cannot reioyce as he would he may pray to God as these doe and say O Lord heare mee and helpe me And we may pray God to helpe vs to that end Iohn 16.21 that I may reioyce now I am heauie and haue no ioy bat if I were out of this feare then should I reioyce O Lord make me to reioyce A woman in trauaile as Christ saith in the Gospel when her paines are on her is in great heauinesse but soone after all is forgotten for ioy that a manchild is borne And he compareth the afflictions of the Church generally of euery one particularly vnto them Heb. 12.11 Now because as the Apostle saith no affliction for the time present is ioyous but grieuous but after the fruit of it is ioyous to them that are exercised therein and their deliuerance also Therfore as a woman in her trauaile may pray to God Lord make an end of my paines and deliuer me that I may reioyce so may all those that are in any distresse pray for deliuerance out of their aduersitie that they might reioyce and God in his good time will giue them cause of ioy For as the prophet saith ioy is sowen for the righteous Psal 97.11 and gladnesse for them that are vpright in heart and therefore if they tarie the time they shall reape it Psal 126.5 for they that sow in teares shall reape in ioy as it is said of the Israelites when they were caried captiues into Babylon They went weeping and caried pretious seed but they did returne with ioy and brought their sheaues with thm Besides if any be in sorrow and griefe for their sinne As when we are grieued for our sinnes that by the forgiuenesse of them he mould make vs glad 22. 1 2. Psal 32.3.4 Psal 6.6.7 or for the want of the feeling of Gods fauour they may pray to God to giue them their hearts desire that they may reioyce and say now there is nothing but heauinesse in me but if God would assure me of his fauour how should I reioyce As Dauid complaineth that he roared out night and day the hand of God was so heauie vpon him and that his handes were wringing wet with the teares of his eyes that he watered his couch with teares and that he mingled his drinke with his teares and that his eyes were sunke into his head with griefe yea that his eyesight fayled him and many such grieuous complaints he vttereth but if God would forgiue him his sinne and assure him of his fauour then he should reioyce exceedingly As he saith Psal 4.6 Lord lift vp the light of thy countenance vpon me and I shall haue more ioy than if I had all the goods in the world So in another place when he was troubled for his sinne he prayeth to God to forgiue him that he might reioyce Haue mercie vpon me O God Psal 51.1 according to thy louing kindnesse according to the multitude of thy compassions put away mine iniquities wash me throughly c. VVhere we see how vncomfortably he beginneth and how hee confesseth his sinnes with great griefe and prayeth earnestly for the forgiuenesse of them and what reason vseth hee to him this one euen that he might reioyce Vers 8. For he saith Make me to haue ioy and gladnesse that the bones which thou hast broken may reioyce that is that I may reioyce who am now wounded in my mind with the conscience of my sinnes and for fear of those iudgements which thou by thy seruant hast denounced against me Vers 12. And a little after Restore me to the ioyes of thy saluation where he desireth that he might haue that ioy in his saluation that he had before Thus in all griefe of mind especially for our sinnes or for any iudgement of God vpon vs or like to befall vs wee may pray That God would be mercifull vnto vs To this end we may pray that God would remoue this plague that we might reioyce As now this great mortality euery where hath been the cause of much sorrow to some for the great losse of their friends and to others for feare of that that might befall them and theirs and none can reioyce any where in this time of heauinesse as before Now we may pray to God that he would make an happie and a speedie end of it not onely for the glory of his name but for the ioy of his seruants that they who a long time haue ben in heauinesse might now at the last be comforted reioice And no doubt as this wold be a matter of exceeding great ioy to the greatest part of this land so in that respect let vs not cease praying vnto God that we might reioyce in his saluation that is in that health that he should bestow vpon vs and the rest of his people And let vs doe it the rather Psa 30.5 because he hath promised That though heauinesse bee in the euening yet ioy shall come in his morning that is in his most blessed time which let vs wait vpon him for For it is said of the people of God in Aegypt That God did certainely see their trouble Exod. 3.7 and knew their sorrowes and heard their crie and so was come to deliuer them shewing that he would haue them in sorrow no longer and so it appeared in the end that they went out with great ioy That our brethren in all places might reioyce loaden with the spoyle of the Aegyptians So we may be sure that he is not ignorant of the trouble and sorrow that many in this land a long time haue been in and he hath heard the cries that they haue beene driuen to make let vs beseech him for them that it would please him in his good time to deliuer them from it and from the cause of it especially seeing he is so mercifull that it is truly said of him Psal 103.9 He will not alway chide nor keepe his anger for euer And as in the dayes of Hester it is written Hest 3.15 Chap. 4.3 That not only the chiefe citie Shushan was in great perplexitie but in euery place whether the kings commission came
ioyous and with glad hearts 2. Chron. 7.10 because of the goodnesse that the Lord had done for Dauid and for Salomon and for Israel his people Thus they reioyced againe in this great blessing that God had set vp the place to his worship among them so that all knew whether to resort vnto it In regard whereof we haue as great cause to reioyce at this time as they had then for God hath giuen vs his holy word and Gospell and we haue publike places appointed euery where And that the Gospell is planted euery where whether we all the people may resort with the freedome of our consciences to serue God and we are not by the grace of God vnprouided for this way let vs doe as this people did here consider of it as a matter of great ioy And truly so it is if we doe rightly weigh and esteeme of it for what I pray you would our forefathers haue giuen to inioy these great benefits that we doe and how comfortable would they haue thought their times to haue bene in respect of that they were then if they might haue had them as wee haue I meane this libertie and freedome from persecution this good gouernment and peaceable inioying of all that we haue especially the puritie of the Gospell and the peace of the Church And if any one of them seuerally be sufficient cause of ioy then all of them together a great deale more let vs then seeing we haue them not loose the comfort of them but so esteeme of them and so consider of them as causes of great ioy as in their owne nature they are And as we ought to doe thus at all times so especially and most of all we had need to doe it in the time of any sorrow or griefe that thereby we might beare the same so much the more easely when in so many great benefits we shall see what great ioy we haue In the time of sorrow most of al we ought to reioice in Gods benefits And truly if we could come to this as we ought we should find that though many times for this and that and such things as doe befall vs we haue cause to sorrow yet for these and such like we haue againe cause of ioy and so it might happily come to passe that we setting the one against the other we might easily ouercome at the least the extremity of griefe and find fault with our selues for being grieued too much Psal 42.11 and say as Dauid did to himselfe Why art thou cast downe my soule and why art thou disquieted within me wait on God for I will yet giue him thankes he is my present helpe and my God So we might say to our selues why am I thus grieued haue I not these and these causes of ioy And so though all griefe be not taken cleane away from vs yet at the least it should by this be so moderated and mitigated as the furious spirit of Saul was with the pleasant musicke of Dauid that it might be tollerably and in some good sort borne So shall our sorrow be the more easily borne VVhen as it should be with vs as it was with them that built the second Temple at Ierusalem where some wept and some reioyced and so among the people there was ioy and sorrow mingled together Many of the Priests and of the Leuites Esra 3.12 and of the chiefe fathers auncient men which had seene the first house when the foundation of this house was layd before their eyes wept with a loud voice and many shouted aloud for ioy So that the people could not discerne the sound of the shout for ioy from the noise of the weeping of the people for the people shouted with a loud cry and the noyse was heard far off Some here wept because they had no more and some reioyced because they had so much and they could not tell which of them was the greatest the noyse of them that mourned or the noyse of them that reioyced So it might come to passe that in the middest of our sorrow there might be some ioy and our ioy might be as great as our griefe and so much the greater by how much the cause of the one is greater than the other and thus when we began to be sorowfull we might also begin to reioyce For it is said in a song of one of the confessors of the Church who desired to haue bene a Martyr Some men for sudden ioy doe weepe and some in sorrow sing c. Betwixt them both saith he will I begin c. meaning that he would so sorrow for his sinnes that he would reioyce in Christ in whom he saw more cause to reioyce than he could see of sorrow in himselfe and so he would begin betweene both and that did make a very good meane So must wee doe think as well what cause we haue of ioy as we do of our sorrow so neither reioyce without sorrow when there is cause nor sorrow without ioy when there is cause of both but as he said begin betweene both And let vs be willing to do thus the rather because few haue any care at all to doe it as they ought whereby it commeth to passe that they loose the fruits and comfort of these benefits Few do truly reioyce in Gods benefits and though they haue them yet they are not so comfortable vnto them as they might be For these things that we haue spoken of namely the common benefit of peace and good gouernment and the Gospell are common to all in our time as well as to our selues but how few doe truely reioyce before the Lord in them or in the causes of their ioy doe at any time thinke or consider of them or when they would make themselues merry do enter into the serious consideration of these causes of ioy but what is the cause of it Surely they neither haue prayed vnto God for them as this people did here for this that they speake of neither haue they esteemed of them as of great befits as they did of this that they prayed for and so they cannot reioyce in them as they should and by that meanes also it commeth to passe that they cannot be so thankfull to God for them as they ought and as others are For these two goe together and cannot be seuered To reioyce in Gods benefits and to be thankefull for them so that the more we reioyce the more thankefull should we be and the want of ioy in Gods benefits is the cause of vnthankefulnesse for them As wee see here also that in this verse they are ioyned together when they say That we might reioyce in thy saluation and set vp our banners in the name of our God as we shall hereafter see by the grace of God out of these words VVhat should be the fruit of all true ioy in Gods benefits wherby this ioy of the holy Ghost differeth from all
carnall and worldly ioy euen thankesgiuing to God who hath bestowed them vpon vs and in them hath giuen vs so great cause of ioy All priuat benefits are causes of ioy And as all common benefits are causes of ioy euen as this people professe here That if God bestow this vpon them they shall reioyce in it so are also all priuat blessings so many causes of ioy to all those that enioy them whether they bee vpon their soules or bodies for this life or the life to come vpon themselues or any of theirs And as the things that they inioy are more and greater than others haue so they ought to confesse that God hath in this vale of miserie giuen them so much cause of ioy For who is he or she or where are they that being in neuer so meane an estate doe not inioy many great benefits from God as life and health libertie conuenient food lodging rayment for which they haue cause to reioyce In which respect the poorest hath great cause of ioy but especially if they haue faith and repentance and the peace of conscience and assurance of the forgiuenesse of their sinnes and hope of saluation what cause haue they then to reioyce though they were in neuer so great want besides Therefore in their poore estates they must so cōsider of their wants as that they doe not forget Gods benefits which may make them to reioyce euen in their pouertie and in their affliction So that as the Prophet Elisha said to his seruant who was in great feare and cried out when he saw the great host of armed men which the king of Aram had sent 2. King 6.16 to take them at Dotham Feare not for there are more with vs than against vs for God had sent horses and chariots of fire to defend them So euerie one may say when his estate is at the hardest that there is more with him than is against him that is that he hath more benefits and so more causes of ioy than crosses and so in them causes of sorrow For if we doe but liue especially in these dayes to serue God and to saue our own soules it is better than the estate of many nobles and princes in other parts of the world that haue not these meanes of their saluation that we haue and may haue and in that measure and with that peace and freedome that we haue them in which respect the estate of the poorest is better if they doe see it and can so consider of it than not onely of many nobles but of the great Turke himselfe of the Emperor yea the Pope himselfe who taketh himselfe to be king prince of the whole world For that which Dauid saith of himself is true of all if they could so esteeme of it A day in thy courts Psal 84.10 is better than a thousand otherwhere I had rather be a dore-keeper in the house of my God than to dwell in the tabernacles of wickednesse for the Lord God is the sunne and shield vnto vs the Lord will giue grace and glory and no good thing will he withhold from them that walke vprightly Therefore when any of you shall be in such a case that you shall spend away the whole day in sorrow and then at night lie downe in heauinesse as wanting many things necessarie both for food and raiment for lodging and firing besides health countenance which others haue in great measure and yet little pitie those that haue not like vnto that rich glutton that in his great aboundance had no compassion of poore Lazarus then consider I pray you for the loue of Christ and for your owne consolation how many benefits you enioy And in the middest of their wants they must thinke of Gods benefits that they might reioice looke into your soule meditate vpon the graces of God in it if you haue any thinke vpon faith hope and charitie with the feare of God and such like which the Lord in mercie hath bestowed vpon you and reioyce in them Be not stil harping all of one string of your wants for that will giue you but one tune of sorrow But as Dauid sayth I will sing Mercie and Iudgement Psal 101.1 vnto thee O Lord will I sing So let vs haue two strings at the least to our harpe one of our wants and another of Gods benefits that is consider you as well of Gods benefits as of his crosses and more of them than of the other because you had need to find out matter of ioy the cause of sorrow will offer it selfe vnto you fast ynough And therefore if the string of your sorrow be somewhat too high let it downe lower and stretch vp the cord of your ioy one note higher that is thinke more of the causes of your ioy and lesse of the causes of your sorrow and thus your instrument shall well accord and make good musicke which was too dolefull and vntunable before And thus the more cunning you are and the more you can doe the better harmonie shall you make to your selfe and others that is the more you shall reioyce euen then when to the worldward you haue cause of nothing but sorrow Act. 16.23 Thus shall it come to passe That as Paule and Silas after extreame whipping being cast into prison and into a dungeon and had their feet made fast in the stockes did sing Psalmes vnto God at midnight so shall you reioyce in the middest of your affliction be it neuer so great For they at this present not only or not so much considered their imprisonment beating and stocking which did minister nothing to them but matter of griefe but rather other great benefits and fauours of God which with them they enioyed and so must you doe likewise consider the one as well as the other So shall not onely your selues haue comfort but God shall haue prayse and for want of this wise consideration of both neither haue you ioy in your selues nor God honour from you in that estate though he hath giuen you sufficient cause of both And as for the rich what great cause of ioy they haue in the multitude of so many great benefits as they enioy of whom it may be truly said as the Apostle saith of the Gentiles Act. 14.17 when he preached vnto them That God had filled their hearts with food and gladnesse themselues do best know I need say little or nothing to them So that in such an estate as many are in if they cannot reioyce but liue in heauinesse and discontentedly whereby they can neither serue God so cheerefully nor praise him so continually as they should they are altogether vnworthie of all I need not therefore say any thing to them their owne eyes and hands their backes and their bellies can tell them sufficiently what cause they haue to reioyce What cause the rich haue to liue ioyfully and comfortably their apparrell and their clothing
that we may so reioyce in all Gods benefits and ordinances so vse them with ioy that he may be praised for them VVhich he also graunt vnto vs for Iesus Christ his sake Amen The seuenteenth Sermon vpon the fifth verse That we may reioyce in thy saluation c. WE must consider who they be that speake thus and of whom they speake it they are the subiects that thus speake of their king and they say that they will reioyce when God shall saue him so they speake not of themselues but of him Such then is and ought to be the vnity of the prince and the people as of the members of the bodie and of the head that they acknowledge the safegard of the king to be sufficient cause of their ioy VVe must then thus pray for the life and honour of our liege lord and Soueraine king The welfare of the king is the peoples â—â—y not as one a loofe off from vs with whom we haue nothing to doe nor he with vs and whose estate doth nothing concerne vs at all but as one in whose life is our preseruation and whose honour is our aduancement in whose decay is our losse and in whose ouerthrow is our vtter ruine Therefore as wee must thinke that we should haue great cause to be sorrie if any thing did befall his royall person otherwise than well so that in his preseruation and prosperitie we haue alwayes cause to reioyce Rom. 13.4 For we know as the Apostle saith that kings and princes are ministers of God for our wealth that is they are called of God vnto those high places not for themselues but for the good of the people therfore in their saluation we must reioyce for it is ioyned with our owne wealth And Saint Paule vnto Timothie sheweth this point more fully 1. Tim. 2.3 when he saith That vnder them we lead a peaceable and quiet life with all honesty and godlinesse This benefit then we get by them when they be good we liue by their good gouernment peaceably honestly and godlily which are three great benefits and without the which our life were no life therefore we must pray for them In this respect they ought to pray for his life that by them we might inioy these great benefits and so reioyce in his preseruation by whose meanes we doe inioy them For if the prince miscarie any waies we are in danger to leese all our wealth yea peace and all honest and godly liuing For if there were no king at all we may easily see in what lamentable estate we should be when as it is sayd in the time of the Iudges Judg. 21.25 In those dayes there was no king in Israel but euery man did that which was good in his eyes Thus would it be with vs and with all people euery man would do that that seemed good in his owne eyes and then what confusion and disorder would there be in the world what peace what godlinesse or what honestie could there be among men And this is not once but three times at the least set downe in that booke in the beginning middest and endding of two notable and famous stories which shew what kind of life was then amongst them euen such as was neither peaceable and quiet nor honest nor godly The one is of the Leuits concubine abused and oppessed euen vnto death the other is of that idolatrie which began in the house of Micah and so did spread it selfe ouer the whole tribe of Dan and of the rest besides that the Leuites and ministers of God were neglected then and not sufficiently prouided for in the narration of which this is often interlaced as a graue sentence shewing the cause of all that disorder In those dayes there was no king or supreame gouernour in Israel and so euery man did that which was good in his owne eyes as if it had beene sayd Surely if they had had any good gouernour among them and namely one chiefe to ouersee and rule the rest these abuses had neuer broken out or if they had they should neuer haue growen to such an head Besides this where there is a continuall succession of kings yet euen in the change of them to death without a speciall grace and blessing of God there is great daunger of chaunge in the state of the people Therefore all people had need to pray for the life health preseruation of their kings that so themselues might reioyce as they doe here And for proofe of this we may easily conceiue how the people of Israel did flourish and abound in all things in the dayes of king Solomon by that which is written of them he was a peaceable prince and so the people had peace and wealth 1. King 4.25 10.27 For euery man did sit quietly vnder his vine and vnder his figge tree and none did raise them vp and in his dayes siluer was as plentifull as the stones in the street and Cedar in as great abundance as the wild figge trees which grow abundantly in the plaine and such almost was our case all the dayes of our renowned and worthie Queene Elizabeth for wee had peace and wealth with the Gospell also in great abundance But when Salomon died For in the death of the prince there is great feare of alteration to the state what great alteration was there in the kingdome of Israel when his sonne Rehoboham refused the auntient counsellors of his father and chose new in their roome like to himselfe whereupon there grew a faction and diuision first among the nobles and then among the rest of the people so that ten parts of his people fell cleane away from him from God too euen to idolatrie and to the golden calues in Dan and Bethel so that there was much warre betweene them and bloodshed among them Now when all this fell out how did they see by experience that they had cause before to pray for the life of Salomon their king as the chiefe and onely cause of their welfare and ioy So we in like manner had great cause in this respect to pray for the life of our Queene as we did to preserue her both against forraine inuasions intended and also secret treasons and practises at home for in her life we had great cause of ioy And in all deliuerances of her from danger which were many and great wee had cause still to reioyce and so in her long life we did enioy the fruit of our prayers for we did so much the more and longer reioyce in her and in all benefits which wee enioyed by her and we had iust cause to feare that in her death we should haue had more cause of sorrow than by the grace and mercie of God we had But now we would be loath to haue any more changes on the sudden and therefore we are to pray earnestly vnto God for this our Soueraigne King Iames by the grace of
by experience though God haue giuen them something Mich. 3.4 Zach. 7.13 for a man may once or twice do for his enemie and for him whom he neuer meaneth to gratifie any more Another cause then why wee haue so little knowledge in the time of our need that God will heare vs is that we haue so little acquainted our selues with prayer and that we haue not done as the Apostle willeth vs namely Phil. 4.6 in all things made our requests knowne vnto God in supplication and prayer that is we haue not so often prayed vnto him as wee haue need and so we haue not that experience that we might haue had Seeing then that this is a great blessing of God which is or should be desired of all namely to know when we pray that God will heare vs let vs come often vnto him in prayer and that I may vse the words of S. Paule In all places and vpon all occasions lift vp pure hands vnto God that we may haue often talk with God and be as it were well acquainted with him and so by experience know what account we may make of his helpe And that our experience herein might be such as it ought we must not onely pray often as hath beene said before but especially we must well see and diligently marke how God graunteth our requests and alwayes consider what hath followed vpon our prayers And then wee must marke what followeth vpon our prayers And this is that that Dauid sayth of himselfe Psal 5.4 Heare my voice in the morning O Lord for earely in the morning I will direct my prayer vnto thee and I will wait where he saith That when he had prayed vnto God he would tarrie Gods leisure and consider what followed vpon his prayers For all good experience ariseth not so much of the often practise of a thing as of the wise and diligent obseruation of the euent of it insomuch that some shall vse a thing very often and yet make little or no vse of it at all to themselues as we see some neuer marke what meat or drinke doth hurt them But the skilfull physition that hath often prescribed a medicine against such a disease and hath marked in his patient how it hath wrought and how he hath been cured by it thereby gathereth a certaine knowledge that this medicine is good for the cure of such a disease for saith he I haue not only often giuen it but haue found that many haue been cured by it and thus all rules of that art as of all other arise of experience that is of marking what was the effect of such a cause So then when a man hath not onely often prayed vnto God but hath also marked how he hath obtained his requests at the hand of God then specially from the promises of God and secondly from his owne experience of the truth of them hee gathereth a certaine knowledge that God will heare him for he considereth how according to that goodnesse that is in him and the truth of his promises he hath oftentimes heard him before Otherwise it may come to passe that though the Lord hath often heard vs For want of this we haue not that assurance from experience that we might and that in many things if we either through negligence haue not regarded it or through carelesnesse haue forgotten it we can haue little knowledge in the time of our need that he will heare vs. And thus the Lord many times in iustice punisheth the vnthankefulnesse of men who marke not his fatherly dealing towards themselues for their owne comfort and the praise of his name that though he hath often holpen them and all the world hath seene it yet in their greatest need they are in as much doubt of his goodnesse and pray with as great distrust as though he had neuer done any thing for them before As on the other side he thus in mercy and fauour plentifully rewardeth the thankfulnesse of those that often pray and call vpon him in the time of their trouble and also carefully marke and diligently remember what hee hath done for them to prayse his holy name for the same that by this good experience they know what he will doe for them for the time to come And thus it falleth out when we haue any dealing with men Thus is it when we haue any dealing with men as when in any distresse we shall be in such case that we know not whom to seeke to for helpe and we complaining of it one should say to vs Goe to such a man and then we should say nay for I know not what he will doe for me he neuer did any thing for me yet and therefore I haue no great cause to presume of his helpe Then the other shall say to vs againe yea that is not so for I remember my selfe how at such a time in such a need you had great succour and comfort from him then we being not able to denie it should say It is true indeed as you say but my memorie is so ill that I had cleane forgotten it Are we not here iustly punished for our vnthankefulnesse to doubt of a mans good will there where there was no cause So is it when by forgetting Gods mercifull dealing towards vs we doubt of his goodnesse in the greatest time of our need without any iust cause But otherwise he that well beareth in mind what benefits from time to time hee receiueth of men to be thankefull vnto them for the same he can in any distresse presently tell what to doe and say to his owne comfort as namely I will goe to such a man for I remember how often he hath done for me heretofore So fareth it with all them that marke what God hath done for them In this respect therefore it is requisit that we keepe a register of all Gods benefits We must therfore keepe a register of Gods benefits Psal 103.1 and say to our selues as Dauid doth Praise the Lord O my soule and forget not all his benefits Especially we must marke diligently what things he hath done at our prayers the same Dauid also saith of himselfe This poore man cried Psal 34.6 and the Lord heard him and saued him out of all troubles And as hee in some cases did make speciall Psalmes which beare the titile of remembrance and they were made specially that by them he might keepe a thankefull memorie of Gods benefits Psal 38. so ought we to doe some thing to helpe our memorie this way especially when we see how forgetfull we are of them that so vpon long experience we might say I know that God will heare and helpe me Therefore when we haue prayed for any common benefit or for any deliuerance as feare of enemies and such like when we haue prayed in the Church here for any that haue beene sicke when for others in other cases priuatly when for our selues at home
betweene saying Surely thou wilt heare mee O God because God gaue him then to beleeue it more fully VVhich full persuasion if he had had before in that measure that he had then we may be assured that he would sooner haue professed it to the glory of God and his owne comfort A fourth example of it in Dauid I will conclude this point with that which is in the eight and thirtie Psalme which Psalme was made when he was in some great distresse of sickenesse as some think or some other at the least And the whole Psalme is full of grieuous complaints as may appeare to them that will but read it when he beginneth thus O Lord rebuke me not in thine anger Psal 38.1 neither chastise me in thy wrath for thine arrowes haue light vpon me and thine hand lieth vpon me there is nothing found in my flesh because of thine anger neither is there rest in my bones because of my sinne and so forth for the whole Psalme is too long to be set down yet it is necessarie for thē to read it ouer who desire to see the truth of this that we speak to be in the Prophet He first complaineth of the heauie wrath of God that was vpon him and of his sinnes which he acknowledgeth to be the cause of his punishment of the infirmitie and great weakenesse that he found in himselfe both of soule and bodie and of this also that he was forsaken of his friends and left desolat of the mallice of his wicked enemies all which made him as hee saith to poure out his whole desire before the Lord so that his sighing was not hid from him Vers 9. And then at the last he commeth to haue some good assurance that the Lord would heare him and doth openly professe it in these words On thee O Lord doe I wait Vers 15. thou wilt heare me O Lord my God and so from this assurance hee endeth the Psalme somewhat more comfortably than he began it saying Hast thee to helpe me O my Lord Vers 22. my saluation Thus we see how by continuing in feruent prayer and striuing against all things within him and without him that might discourage him the spirit of God did so encrease in him that hee gat some small assurance at the least and more than he had before that the Lord would heare him and so endeth with a more peaceable and quiet mind than he began And though I am not ignorant that some of the learned doe read that fifteenth verse somewhat otherwise yet they agree with me in this point for which it is brought That in the same he professeth his faith that the Lord would heare him All these examples doe not onely shew vs the truth of this doctrine namely that the seruants of God praying vnto him in their seuerall troubles as this people did here haue by little and little growne in a further assurance to their owne comfort and the glorie of God By this experience in another we see what assurāce God may worke in vs if we vse the same meanes that he will heare them but they shew vs the same by great experience which is the best tracts and able to instruct the most simple for wee haue heard how Dauid oftentimes professeth it of himselfe which sheweth vs what we may looke for that the Lord should worke in vs also for there is no respect of persons with him if we pray in that feeling of our wants and that humilitie vnder the crosse and that feruencie vnder hope and that continuance by patience that he did Therefore let vs labour after it euen that we may find the spirit of God so working in our hearts by prayer that it may certainly and comfortably witnesse to our spirits that the Lord doth heare vs and that the same testimonie of the spirit may encrease in vs aswe encrease in praying And it may come to passe that as in the morning we see the Sunne arise higher and higher whereby we haue a greater feeling of the heat of it as the day encreaseth so we might see the sonne of righteousnesse so arising in our hearts Malach. 4.2 dispersing all the mysts of ignorance and vnbeleefe that we may haue the comfortable feeling of the fauour of God in our hearts encreasing more and more to cheere them vp with the light and heat of it as it were as we shall continue longer in prayer Let vs labor after it I say because that few doe know what it doth meane because they doe not so much as once seeke and inquire after it Obiect The best seruants of God complaine that they haue no assurance that God heareth their prayer Now if any doe seeke this and cannot find it and so they still complaine as many of the best seruants of God haue done that he heareth not their prayers neither haue they any assurance of it for when as in their troubles they pray vnto God this grieueth them much that they haue no persuasion that God heareth and will helpe them for if they had this they could bee contented to wait vpon him and to tarry his leisure but they pray and pray and can haue no assurance that hee doth heare them Ans And a reason of the same To satisfie all those and to strengthen them in this weaknesse of theirs we must consider That they that haue had the greatest assurance at any time that the Lord did heare them haue had it but in time and in measure and not alwaies alike but sometimes more sometimes lesse and sometimes not at all as the spirit of faith or their owne vnbeleefe hath preuailed in them For in these forenamed places we see that in some of the Psalmes hee professeth greater assurance than in other and so is it with all men Euen as with the eyes of our bodie we sometimes see a thing more clearely than at other times and our eyesight is not alwayes alike no more is our faith whereby wee behold Christ and in him the fauour of God it is not alwaies in the same brightnesse Besides as the ayre is not alwaies alike for our sight but sometimes more troublesome and souring yea darke which hindereth vs from the sight of that that we looke vnto when our eyes are at the best so we haue sometimes in our mind greater and more violent temptations than at other as it were thick mystes or rather darke clouds in the aire to hinder our faith from beholding the cheerefull countenance of the Lord as it were the light of the Sunne which shineth alwayes alike though we by reason of these cannot alwaies see it alike So the Lords loue is alwaies one and the same but we are not alwaies alike disposed in our selues to behold it in that brightnesse that it shineth in it owne nature Therefore we must not be dismaied if we haue not alwaies this assurance in our prayer after the same manner but see what
lawful and is lawfully called thereunto as hauing gifts sit for it and comming vnto it by all ordinarie good meanes that God will maintaine them in the same and they should be assured of it in themselues because they are the Lords annointed that is placed in those roomes by him And thus did all the Apostles and the Prophets also before them comfort themselues in those callings of the Church which were full of labor and trouble that they were persuaded that the Lord had set them aworke and they did not come before they were sent otherwise they might haue fainted many times vnder their great burdens And namely thus did the Prophet Ieremie comfort himselfe before the Lord And so did the Prophet Jeremie against the mocks and taunts of his enemies who said that destruction should not come to Ierusalem as he had prophecied because it was still deferred Ierem. 17.15 and so derided the threatnings of God in his mouth saying Where is the word of the Lord let it come now But hee answereth them thus first That the Lord had called him vnto that office of being a Prophet and that he had not thrust in himselfe and then That he had faithfully executed the same therfore prayed God to defend him in the next words Vers 16. But I haue not thrust in my selfe a Pastour after thee neither haue I desired the day of miserie thou knowest that which came out of my lips was right before thee Be not terrible vnto me c. And God heard his prayer for when the citie was destroyed hee was saued and had libertie to goe whether hee would and during the siege God kept him out of the hands of the princes who sought to kill him and though he was once cast into a dungeon yet he was taken out of it againe And thus also when God appeared vnto Moses in the wildernesse in a bush when he was keeping sheep and sent him to deliuer the children of Israel out of their grieuous bondage he doing his message vnto Pharoah the king doth not onely not let them goe but oppresseth them a great deale more whereupon the officers of the children of Israel meeting with Moses and Aaron Exod. 4.20 as they came from the king like men in a great passion brake out into bitter and vnseemely words against them and prayed God to looke vpon them and iudge them for they had made their sauour stinke before Pharoah and before his seruants And Moses the man of God VVhereupon Moses prayeth vnto God and somewhat comforteth himselfe in this trouble with hope of some good successe from his calling that he was the Lords annointed and that hee had sent him to doe that that he did For it is said That hee returned vnto the Lord Verse 22. and said Lord why hast thou afflicted this people Wherefore hast thou sent me for since I came to Pharoah to speake in thy name he hath vexed this people and yet thou hast not deliuered thy people VVhere the ground of his prayer both for himselfe and for the people is this That the Lord had sent him to doe that that he did and therefore he desireth to see some better successe And so may all faithfull ministers of the word of God who are assured that they are called vnto that office place where they are So may all faithfull ministers of Gods word called I say by God and not by men only and so doe deliuer the message of God faithfully vnto them out of his word if all things fall not out with them at the first and they see not that successe of their labours that they desire yea if things seeme to be a great deale worse than they were before they came and themselues are vniustly blamed for it as Moses was here they may with a good conscience goe vnto God in their prayers and seeke redresse saying That he hath sent them to do that they doe and therefore desire the Lord that hee would assist them and blesse them with better successe and then they shall see that the Lord will not forsake them but stand by them and defend them in their calling as it is said here in this Psalme I know that the Lord will helpe his annointed And as he then gaue this answere vnto Moses That it should appeare that he had not called him to that office in vaine but would defend him in it Exod. 6.1 and giue good successe vnto his labours For in the next chapter it is thus written The Lord said vnto Moses Now thou shalt see what I will doe vnto Pharoah for by a strong hand hee shall let them goe and euen bee constrained to driue them out of his land that is he shall feele the Lords hand so heauie vpon him that he should not onely be willing to let them goe though he obstinatly refused it but should by force driue them out as indeed afterwardes hee did as appeareth in the rest of that story Exod. 12.33 And this assurance of our calling must not onely a little comfort vs at the first but in the whole course and ministerie of the same and in all things that shall befall vs in the execution of it that we may with a good conscience pray vnto God that as wee haue not intruded our selues neither haue had our calling onely from men but from him so he would heare vs and helpe vs in all things that we doe according to the same And as no doubt there is great comfort in this that a man is thus assured of his calling and without this he may often be dismaid so in that respect it is requisit It is requisit therefore that euery one should be fully persuaded of the lawfulnesse of his calling that not onely they but all others in their seuerall places should be assured that they haue their callings of God that so they may in faith pray for his defence For this cause we see how immediatly from God the Prophets had their callings to whom God spake and appeared in visions as to Moses to Ezekiel and to Ieremie and the rest how the Iudges were raysed vp extraordinarily that in their great attempts they might be assured that God had called them to that place Iudg. 6.37 and especially how carefull Gedeon was of it by making triall twise in a fleece of woll And how Paule and all the rest of the Apostles were called immediatly by Christ that when they should meet with so many incomberances as they did they might not doubt of their calling and so of Gods protection And so againe what order was set downe by God both for the succession of the Priests and Leuits and for their seuerall offices and places and what for the succession of the kings and what in the new Testament is for the choise of ministers and what in the scripture for magistrates that so all might thereby be assured that they haue their callings from